Constitutive catachresis

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James Hogg - 21 Jan 2010 10:59 GMT

Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
wonderful sentences:

"The promise of such a 'fatality' animates language _from the outset_ in
the constitutive catachresis by means of which language posits meaning
while concealing the meaningless machinery of its own linguistic positing."

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James

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Dr Peter Young - 21 Jan 2010 11:14 GMT

> Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
> formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
> wonderful sentences:

> "The promise of such a 'fatality' animates language _from the outset_ in
> the constitutive catachresis by means of which language posits meaning
> while concealing the meaningless machinery of its own linguistic positing."

That certainly conceals the meaningless machinery of the sentence!

With best wishes,

Peter.

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Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk

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Steve Hayes - 21 Jan 2010 18:03 GMT

>> Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
>> formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>That certainly conceals the meaningless machinery of the sentence!

I thought it exposed it for all to see.

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Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

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Athel Cornish-Bowden - 21 Jan 2010 13:29 GMT

> Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
> formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the constitutive catachresis by means of which language posits meaning
> while concealing the meaningless machinery of its own linguistic positing."

You're translating it into English, I hope.

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athel

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James Hogg - 21 Jan 2010 23:06 GMT

>> Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
>> formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> You're translating it into English, I hope.

The language of that book is Lacanian, if anyone wondered. Luckily, I
don't have to touch that. In the article I'm translating into English,
the author has two aims: (1) to explain Edelman's impenetrable thesis;
(2) to show that it's wrong.

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James

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Athel Cornish-Bowden - 22 Jan 2010 12:23 GMT

>>> Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
>>> formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> the author has two aims: (1) to explain Edelman's impenetrable thesis;
> (2) to show that it's wrong.

I don't envy you. The problem with that sort of writing is that half
the time it's not even wrong.

Most of the Lacanian that I've read has been through the filter of
Bricmont and Sokal, so I haven't had to try to understand it in its
virgin state.

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athel

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R H Draney - 21 Jan 2010 17:40 GMT

James Hogg filted:

>Today I'm translating an article that builds on the queer theory
>formulated by Lee Edelman in "No Future". That book contains some
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>the constitutive catachresis by means of which language posits meaning
>while concealing the meaningless machinery of its own linguistic positing."

My prayers are with you....r

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A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010

Constitutive catachresis