"Narrative" again

Thu May 2 01:13:44 UTC 2013

FWIW:

2013 _New Yorker_ (May 6) 22: Young American women now [are] caught in a
post-post-feminist narrative in which it is proposed that sexual
emancipation may be achieved through emotional disengagement.

Who's doing the "narrating"?

JL

On Wed, May 1, 2013 at 2:14 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: "Narrative" again
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I agree.  For discussions of historical events, "narrative" suggests
> to me the same as Dave describes below, creating a coherent account,
> perhaps chronological, that fits the events into a plausible,
> logically possible tale.  Not necessarily correct, but not in
> conflict with anything known.
>
> Joel
>
> At 5/1/2013 10:34 AM, Dave Wilton wrote:
> >I don't think "liberal propaganda" or even "popular supposition" is
> implied.
> >
> >The usage falls under OED definition 2.a. "Narrative" is frequently used
> not
> >simply as a recounting of facts and events, but an expression that is done
> >in a way to create a coherent story that explains those facts.
> >
> >I've probably most often heard this sense in context of litigation, where
> >lawyers will seek to create a "narrative" to convince the jury or judges.
> >(David Boies is often recognized as being especially skilled at creating
> >convincing narratives out of the facts of a case.)
> >
> >The analyst is simply expressing the opinion that the explanation that the
> >bombers did not have foreign connections may not fit all the facts; that a
> >good analyst questions assumptions. From an intelligence perspective, this
> >skeptical attitude is probably healthy. (Although the comment could be
> >xenophobic. I don't know who said it or the broader context in which it
> was
> >said.)
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of
> >Jonathan Lighter
> >Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 9:14 AM
> >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >Subject: Re: "Narrative" again
> >
> >Former CIA analyst on the bombing plot (CNN):
> >
> >"I think it is wrong for us to take the narrative that it was just
> >homegrown."
> >
> >It would never even occur to me to use "narrative" in this context.
> >  Possibly "obtuse liberal propaganda" is implied, but I did not get that
> >impression. It seems to me that here it means "popular supposition."
> >
> >In real time, of course.
> >
> >JL
> >
> >
> >On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 6:49 AM, Jonathan Lighter
> ><wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:
> >
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > -----------------------
> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > > Subject:      Re: "Narrative" again
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ---------
> > >
> > > CNN anchor: Does Rick Perry's performance in the last debate follow
> > > the narrative of his campaign?
> > >
> > > Political Scientist:  Unfortunately, the narrative about Rick Perry in
> > > this campaign is that he's not ready for prime time.
> > >
> > > JL
> > >
> > > On Sun, Aug 7, 2011 at 11:59 AM, Jonathan Lighter
> > > <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > -----------------------
> > > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > > > Subject:      Re: "Narrative" again
> > > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ---------
> > > >
> > > > A former Republican Congressman on CNN today:
> > > >
> > > > "Blaming 'right-wing Republicans' [for debt/deficit/budget
> > > > difficulties]
> > > is
> > > > a narrative that won't fly."
> > > >
> > > > I.e., a propaganda move.
> > > >
> > > > JL
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, Aug 6, 2011 at 4:40 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net>
> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > >> -----------------------
> > > >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > >> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > > >> Subject:      "Narrative" again
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ---------
> > > >>
> > > >> In an article in today's NYTimes on the conviction of five New
> > > >> Orleans police offers of unjustified shooting of six citizens just
> > > >> after Hurricane Katrina, Campbell Robertson writes:
> > > >>
> > > >>      "The trial was not only about these five officers but also
> > > >> about what exactly happened in the weeks after the hurricane, a
> > > >> sort of judgment on the initial widely held belief that the
> > > >> authorities were trying to control elements of a citizenry run
> rampant.
> > > >>
> > > >>      ":In the years since, that narrative has been qualified. While
> > > >> some people did turn to crime and violence, it has become apparent
> > > >> that some of the bloodshed and chaos was brought about by members
> > > >> of the long-troubled Police Department."
> > > >>
> > > >> Joel
> > > >>
> > > >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> > > truth."
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> > >
> > >
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> >truth."
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> > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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> >
> >
> >
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> >"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
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