On Frogs, Ponds and Logs
So I had dinner at Bobby's house last night with a few of his friends and a friend of a friend. I entered the room mid conversation but pre-nonversation...
PATTY: She's an actor (talking about Jill)
BOBBY: She is?
JILL: I studied acting...
PATTY: She's an actor...
BOBBY: Wait a minute... there's a different between studying acting and being an actor. You can't just make it up!
JILL: I have actually acted.
BOBBY: Are you taking acting classes?
JILL: I've always taken acting classes.
BOBBY: You're taking acting courses now?
JILL: Bob, I've been taking acting classes for years.
BOBBY: She's not answering my question! I'm not asking if you took acting classes twenty years ago! It's a simple question: Are you taking acting classes?
PATTY: She is not taking acting classes at this moment.
BOBBY: You added that little caveat. Why did you say that, 'at this moment'? Either she's taking them or she's not.
PATTY: At the moment, she is not.
BOBBY: What other moment would I be talking about? I'm not asking what she's planning to do in the future. 'Are you ice skating?' 'Well, I'm not ice skating right now, but I ice-skated once twelve years ago!
PATTY: She may take a class...
BOBBY: 'Are you having a drink?' 'Well, I'm not having a drink at the moment but I might have one next Tuesday... give me a break. (to me) Right?
ME: I'm staying out of this.
BOBBY: Why? It's a point about communication... People have to be able to communicate effectively, don't you agree.
ME: I'm staying out of this.
BOBBY: Either you're doing something or you're not... (to me) Where was the frog when it jumped in the pond?
ME: What!?!
BOBBY: Where was the frog when it jumped in the pond? It wasn't on the log, it was on the log before it jumped in the pond. So when the frog jumped in the pond it was somewhere between the log and the pond.
ME:: No, that’s not right. The frog was on the log when it committed the act of jumping. So when it jumps, jump here is a verb, it was on the log. It was between the log and the pond while it was in the process of jumping, but after it had committed the action of jumping.
BOBBY: So this is the difference between a verb and an adjective?
ME: It's the difference between the active and the passive. While on the log the frog is committing the active verb to jump. While in between the log and the pond the frog is in the passive state of jumping. What I guess is the process of being propelled upward and then falling downward.... so.... yes.... I guess....
At this point everyone in the room is looking at us exhausted.
BOBBY: I'm a stickler for words!
He is... Diana, do you have anything to add here?
Written Tuesday, April 25, 2006 by J.R.Knight. PATTY: She's an actor (talking about Jill)
BOBBY: She is?
JILL: I studied acting...
PATTY: She's an actor...
BOBBY: Wait a minute... there's a different between studying acting and being an actor. You can't just make it up!
JILL: I have actually acted.
BOBBY: Are you taking acting classes?
JILL: I've always taken acting classes.
BOBBY: You're taking acting courses now?
JILL: Bob, I've been taking acting classes for years.
BOBBY: She's not answering my question! I'm not asking if you took acting classes twenty years ago! It's a simple question: Are you taking acting classes?
PATTY: She is not taking acting classes at this moment.
BOBBY: You added that little caveat. Why did you say that, 'at this moment'? Either she's taking them or she's not.
PATTY: At the moment, she is not.
BOBBY: What other moment would I be talking about? I'm not asking what she's planning to do in the future. 'Are you ice skating?' 'Well, I'm not ice skating right now, but I ice-skated once twelve years ago!
PATTY: She may take a class...
BOBBY: 'Are you having a drink?' 'Well, I'm not having a drink at the moment but I might have one next Tuesday... give me a break. (to me) Right?
ME: I'm staying out of this.
BOBBY: Why? It's a point about communication... People have to be able to communicate effectively, don't you agree.
ME: I'm staying out of this.
BOBBY: Either you're doing something or you're not... (to me) Where was the frog when it jumped in the pond?
ME: What!?!
BOBBY: Where was the frog when it jumped in the pond? It wasn't on the log, it was on the log before it jumped in the pond. So when the frog jumped in the pond it was somewhere between the log and the pond.
ME:: No, that’s not right. The frog was on the log when it committed the act of jumping. So when it jumps, jump here is a verb, it was on the log. It was between the log and the pond while it was in the process of jumping, but after it had committed the action of jumping.
BOBBY: So this is the difference between a verb and an adjective?
ME: It's the difference between the active and the passive. While on the log the frog is committing the active verb to jump. While in between the log and the pond the frog is in the passive state of jumping. What I guess is the process of being propelled upward and then falling downward.... so.... yes.... I guess....
At this point everyone in the room is looking at us exhausted.
BOBBY: I'm a stickler for words!
He is... Diana, do you have anything to add here?
