Random Thoughts: The Return

[flowersofnight]

I went to see a performance of Handel's "Samson" at Carnegie Hall on Monday night and I was surprised how many little slips there were for a venerable oratorio company performing at the world's premiere venue. Some lines out of order (at least going by the libretto), some missteps like singing "claims" instead of "chains"... but the biggest howler of all was near the very end where Samson's father grieves over his son's death.
Instead of saying he won "eternal fame", it came out as... "eternal flame"
I wonder if anyone else noticed or what. There's one review online but they didn't mention anything one way or the other. https://blogcritics.org/concert-review-oratorio-society-of-new-york-handels-samson/

On the whole it really was a great performance and none of that reviewer's glowing praise is misplaced, but nitpicking is what I do.

 

[sanctum]

Instead of saying he won "eternal fame", it came out as... "eternal flame"

Eternal Flame does have a certain ring to it. :p

In other news, an emergency alert was issued the other day as a wild monkey was sighted prowling the neighbourhood.

 

[flowersofnight]

In other news, an emergency alert was issued the other day as a wild monkey was sighted prowling the neighbourhood.

My heart goes out to all the Japanese speakers who rifled their lexicons in vain grasping for an equivalent of "going bananas".

 

[sanctum]

"going bananas".

Reminds me of the 'GoTo Travel' campaigns that were around during/after the pandemic, and how much that term got on my nerves.
「ゴートゥーTravelしましたか？」
Certainly a term I'd like to 和製英語-away.

 

[sanctum]

I was listening to a podcast and this line popped up in the conversation.

"At the time there was a video game device called the 'Wii', have you heard of it?".

I had to go and check and found out that the Wii came out in 2006, 18 years ago, and we're far enough removed from its release that people might not know what it is.