@mudlark

Well, you’ve just rather elegantly illustrated the key element of scientific method (form hypothesis >> test (prove) hypothesis), so that’s not really the issue.

It was more a point about how slippery language can be, even when talking about language – a slip I made with a different word, even while trying to make the point.

@idiotsavon

For two languages to converge in any meaningful sense, surely their syntax and grammar would have to dovetail somehow – which is impossible.

English has its roots in as High Germanic, but the influence of French on it is such that it is impossible to miss and modern English would not exist as it does without a big ‘ole dash of old F…[Read more]

@idiotsavon

I think it’s just linguistic borrowing for the sake of economy,

Yes, that’s one of the many mechanisms of convergence.

Put two groups of people together and their languages will converge, either through creolisation or one being dominant but borrowing heavily from the other. It is even true of accents (witness the way native H…[Read more]

@translatorcircuit

I don’t care about the BBC and their budget

Unfortunately, the BBC doesn’t have this luxury.

PS “Brilliant” does not mean what you think it means. See “Dimensions in Time” for reference.

@translatorcircuit

I‘ve now heard that the BBC says that there will be no Doctor Who series 12 until 2020! I don‘t know how they dare to even suggest this!

Budget. Check around the forum. This has been discussed and explained at length. Check especially BBC Approved Spoilers.

@kevinwho @nerys

But I think we can all be with @craig…

@mudlark @idiotsavon

The idea that the interwoven threads in traditional stories have their origin in a prehistory common to all speakers of Indo-European languages is an enticing hypothesis. The problem, as you are clearly aware, is proving it.

Not really. It’s just convergent evolution with the admixture of complex language (the specific…[Read more]

@swordwhale

There is a difference between ending the suffering of an individual and a death sentence…

Not if you are trying to legitimise a death sentence by claiming that it is ending the suffering of an individual.

@kevinwho

Whereas in this last season I’ve sometimes felt that whole episodes aren’t showing me a life lesson, they’re telling me what to think.

Well, no. It is a distinction without a difference.

Distinction: addressing antagonist or address newbie travellers.

Difference: either of the above vs addressing the audience.

And remember, I’ve state…[Read more]

@magickirin

more in character for Graham to kill  him.

What on Earth in Graham’s character makes you think he has the potential to be a killer?

Seriously, if you are going to make statements like that, illustrate with examples.

@bluffme

I think <strike>more people than will admit feel the same</strike> the ratings are speaking for themselves <strike>but to many scared of this ridiculously stupified PC world</strike> and that confounds my angry entitled ravings

Fixed that for you.

ridiculously stupified PC world and scared of being called a bigit or woman hater for…

[Read more]

@miapatrick

Not all of us. I, for example, am a little bit rickroll.

And also:

@whisht

Nice. There’s one more though:

From New Statesman:

Doctor Who tells us it is okay to be who and what we are – and that’s why we love it

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@bluffme

A sense of perspective is a valuable thing.

Nobody is actually dead.

@bluffme

See, to me she is absolutely The Doctor. While I was critical of the editing and dialogue in the early episodes, it also conspicuously tightened up as the season progressed (I’d be fascinated to see the production schedule). Bradley Walsh (who, personally, I was never sniffy about because I had seen his work in Law & Order UK) has been a…[Read more]

@cumquat

Would you like a jelly baby?

@craig @ichabod @miapatrick @pedant @idiotsavon

Let’s play Finger The @Cumquat

No. Wait. That came out way more obscene than intended.

Or did it?