Reminds me of being on a bus and passing a shop (or was it?) in Abbey Street, and where it should have said McCarthy's Book Store or whatever it said "This is Not Shop"!
Lovely reflective piece, Aisling. Thank you. It made me think about those times when you are tramping around historical sites and you suddenly see a scrawl on the wall - some ancient graffito - and it brings it alive in a way no reconstruction ever would.
Thanks Chris, good point about signage in other languages, especially where the alphabet also is different from ours. It increases the fascination but also makes one feel more of an outsider.
Thanks for this, Aisling, a very interesting and detailed piece on a 'daily life' topic which affects writers especially. In my own experience, the signage has often been in foreign languages and alphabets- something that has not failed to influence my experience in different places and writing about them. Keep up the good work and happy spring!
That's great Noirin!! Was that reverse advertising do you think or simply a statement of fact? And if it wasn't a shop what was it?
Reminds me of being on a bus and passing a shop (or was it?) in Abbey Street, and where it should have said McCarthy's Book Store or whatever it said "This is Not Shop"!
Thanks Vincent. Yes it's funny how we feel words speak to us even in, or maybe most of all in surprising places.
Lovely reflective piece, Aisling. Thank you. It made me think about those times when you are tramping around historical sites and you suddenly see a scrawl on the wall - some ancient graffito - and it brings it alive in a way no reconstruction ever would.
Thanks Chris, good point about signage in other languages, especially where the alphabet also is different from ours. It increases the fascination but also makes one feel more of an outsider.
Happy spring to you too!
Thanks for this, Aisling, a very interesting and detailed piece on a 'daily life' topic which affects writers especially. In my own experience, the signage has often been in foreign languages and alphabets- something that has not failed to influence my experience in different places and writing about them. Keep up the good work and happy spring!
Thank you Mary. Delighted the essay struck a chord with you!
Wonderful essay! "Where and how we see words conditions our interpretation of them." So very true!