Friday, October 20, 2006

Lost in translation

by Anonymous

My nomination for the Worst Opening Sentence of an Unpublished Academic Paper (or, alternatively, "Opening Sentence of an Academic Paper Most Likely to be Quoted by Ann Coulter"):

Women's employment is considered to be a major problem faced by contemporary societies.
I hate it when those damned women start working. Society just goes to hell in a handbasket.

(This is, incidentally, NOT what the author intended to communicate. Writing -- at least in English -- is clearly not his or her forte.)
Comments:
This reminds me of an experience I had in the first course I taught. I know this was chronicled in some comic (Doonesbury?), but it really happened.

I didn't think that class was paying attention, so, at some point, I remarked, "you can see, women's employment is indicative of the failures of capitalism."

I didn't get one question on that point. A small part of me died. I hope I then corrected myself, but I might have just let them thinking this (or that I am an idiot).
 
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