Ken's thoughtful ponderings on communication just point up how even slight shadings of nuance can change our understanding. To wit, and starting with four ponderables on our recent macabre interest:
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Winners of a New York Magazine contest who were asked to take a well known expression in a foreign language, change a single letter and provide a definition for the new expression

     POSH MORTEM
     Death styles of the rich and famous

     RIGOR MORRIS
     The cat is dead.

     QUE SERA SERF
     Life is feudal

     LEROI EST MORT. JIVE LEROI
     The king is dead. No kidding

     RESPONDEZ S'IL VOUS PLAID
     Honk if you're Scottish

     HARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS?
     Can you drive a French motorcycle?

     VENI, VIPI, VICI
     I came, I'm a very important person, I conquered

     VENI, VIDI, VISA
     I came, I saw, I shopped.

     COGITO EGGO SUM
     I think, therefore I am ... a waffle

     PRO BOZO PUBLICO
     Support your local clown

     MONAGE A TROIS
     I am three years old

     HASTE CUISINE
     Fast French food

     QUIP PRO QUO
     A fast retort

     ALOHA OY
     Love; greetings; farewell; and from such a pain you should never know

     MAZEL TON
     Tons of luck

     VISA LA FRANCE
     Don't leave your chateau without it

     CARNE DIEM
     Seize the meat

--
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uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>