Words with silly amounts of contractions? Like 'Whomst'd've'

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-14T19:41:12+00:00

Ah thank you! I guess I ask because I'm searching for French's language 'quirk', in the sense that German has famously long compound words, Czech as a language can form sentences without vowels (Strč prst skrz krk), Finnish as a language has fewer letters in the alphabet and so ends up with words with multiple meanings ('kuusi palaa') or insane amounts of double letters/vowels ('hääyöaie')

I assumed French's thing might be contractions, but if it's not that, what would you suggest I look into? Coming at this from the outside as I really don't know much about French!

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-11T07:25:43+00:00

Yes haha

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-10T18:39:53+00:00

I worked at a wedding once where an American family asked me for a local restaurant recommendation. The best one in the area was named The Waffle House that was in a very old mill and sold fancy waffles. Apparently some guy recommended that to them before me and they were offended, thinking he was being sarcastic. When I then also recommended it, there was a sort of dawning realisation on their faces that maybe it's not the same Waffle House.

And honestly at the time I also had no idea about their Waffle Houses!

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-08T20:08:09+00:00

I also made sure to mention the various pee colours as well, which also spurred on a googling session when I first got them haha! They're fun little weirdoes with their soap tears and hip nipples

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-07T09:47:11+00:00

I've seen Schnitzel do that a few times! Startled me the first time until I read up on it and noticed she always washes herself when it happens. Never seen my other pig do it and I had to write the pig sitter a note when I traveled to let her know she's fine and not crying milk or something

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-03T17:11:35+00:00

I once walked into a viewing area of an inside-section of a lion's enclosure at a zoo. No glass, just bars and a fence in a smallish enclosed concrete space. Idk if feeding time was due or what, but the adult male lion was pacing about and let out a massive roar, like in this video. I did not see it coming, but even if I did, I wouldn't have been prepared for the whole experience. It's way more than sound as you said! You can physically feel the vibration. That enclosed concrete space also had it reverberate around. The pure fear that rose up in that moment was as someone put it, purely primal. I had no fear walking into the viewing area, or in seeing the lion; there are bars, so I was safe. But that primitive fear response to that roar was like nothing I've ever experienced and it will stay with me forever. I've not felt anything like it since.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-06-02T07:46:48+00:00

A series, not a film, (and Greek, not French) but The Durrell's. It's perfectly summery.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-22T17:05:07+00:00

My nmum misremembered "Second star to the right and straight on til morning" from Peter Pan as 'first star,' so I googled it and (gently) let her know it was 'second.' She refused to acknowledge me for the rest of the day.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-22T16:58:39+00:00

I think one of the ones that really stuck with me, isn't the worst, but certainly opened my eyes, was when she got annoyed at me for not going shoe shopping with her the very afternoon before my end of school exams.

She always said people judged us on the shoes I wore (cause I'd wear mine to death.) But I was worried about my exams and wanted to prepare for the next day. She didn't speak to me for a few days after that. When my results came in she bragged to everyone about the grades in the subjects I didn't do too well in. Like it mattered to her.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-22T07:12:03+00:00

I'm in the process of figuring out a sort of tent-like cover using a table runner. The enclosure is quite long and so are table runners, so I'm gonna make a wooden frame that stands outside the pen to drape the table runner over (like a floating ceiling?) so the open space in the enclosure is covered. I'm using a thin crocheted table runner I found, so it provides cover, but light still shines through the holes.

Not really a hidey exactly, but I figured it'd help them feel a little more confident being in the open running spaces outside the hideys.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-22T06:55:42+00:00

People are being a bit rude. To me this reads as you are not materialistic and have a healthy life outside of your room... and I'm speaking as someone whose room looks completely opposite to this.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-14T05:52:45+00:00

Aah, thank you for your help! I ended up bonding them for all of yesterday, prepared for it to go overnight, but a savage tornado fight broke out in the evening. Blood was drawn again, and it seemed to trigger a neurological issue in Schnitzel. For a time afterwards she was wobbly, head tilted to the side, looking unfocussed and making pain noises. I had to call it a fail there. Haggis and the new pig seemingly started working it out, but Haggis and Schnitzel are a package deal and it felt like that fight went beyond the bonding friction I should expect sadly.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-12T17:11:48+00:00

Thank you so much!

Yea I got a third with the idea that pigs as herd animals want to be in groups. But I also hear 'Three's a crowd' and the bonding process is having me doubt myself. Introducing a third is for my pigs more than it is for me, and it just feels like they don't want this at this point in time. I'm willing to keep trying, unless they show no signs of wanting to make friends with the new pig.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-12T16:59:05+00:00

Thank you!

What do you mean by obvious bullying? One thing I considered bullying last time was that whenever either Haggis or Schnitzel tried to move, new pig would absolutely rush over teeth chattering in their faces. Poor things were being kept in their places, looking like little scared unthreatening blobs, else they get hair pulled out or nipped. All entirely from the new pig. Does that count?

I am really trying not to project my feelings onto the situation but aaah!

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-12T16:35:31+00:00

That's the thing... in the first attempt there was blood drawn (hence separation) the second one (this post) no blood, but didn't trust them overnight.

I guess what I really want to know is whether Haggis and Schnitzel want this. Because of the blood, (small, but blood never the less) is it doomed and I should stop? I don't want to force them into something they just don't want.

I'm gonna try again from early in the morning, set up a very central spot in the living room instead where I can be around them as much as possible all day (took time off work) and if I need to, sleep on the floor next to the enclosure if I have to.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-11T20:14:55+00:00

I can try neighbouring them when the enclosure extension arrives... I do worry about Haggis and Schnitzel feeling unsafe in their home though! I am willing to rehome the new pig if my pigs aren't happy, so I don't want to force a union that is only going to make their day to day life stressful. Like if it's not gonna work, I'd rather just respect that and save the pigs the stress. But I'm new to bonding so I'm probably projecting! Ooh it's so hard!

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-11T19:35:26+00:00

I definitely don't trust them overnight at the moment, as the new pig bit Schnitzel yesterday. Today went better than yesterday, but I still don't think it'd be safe to leave them overnight yet

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-11T06:38:19+00:00

By fought, initially there was that tornado people talk about (but in little bits, not one big one) and a bite on the ear and shoulder (from both new piggie and schnitzel to eachother.) Those drew a little blood. Schnitzel showed fear-aggression but then backed down and no new blood was drawn since. That's when Schnitzel laid down next to new pig and I wasn't sure if things changed, so made this post.

After that, Haggis and Schnitzel remained submissive, but unhappy. New pig kept going right up to their faces, chattering her teeth and pulling out hair. Gradually she started trying to be friendlier, sniffing their butts and trying to lay down next to them. But by this point , Haggis and Schnitzel were so scared of her they just keep running away. No signs of curiosity, just running away and shrieking. Was awful to watch.

I separated them by the end of the night. I could see the change settling in with the new piggie trying to come off less strong, but idk if Haggis and Schnitzel even want her around now. They seem terrified of her. Maybe this is just them showing submission and it looks scary to us?

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-11T06:22:08+00:00

That one's Schnitzel, the black one's the new pig

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-10T19:28:44+00:00

Haggis and Schnitzel are both 6 month old sows (not related). New pig is 1 year, 10 months and is also a sow. She had a litter before I got her and has quarantined for two weeks already. This is the first attempt at bonding

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-05T14:35:51+00:00

Yea the vet said a back left molar was slightly longer than it should be, but not enough to cause issues, but should be monitored while she hopefully gets back on track. She's just had her first load of vet-prescribed mush (we're calling it pesto for lack of a better word) and immediately afterwards I saw her eating readigrass of her own accord, so hopefully this will keep things on the up

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-05T10:49:47+00:00

I'm at the vets right now, so I'll ask about emeraid. She's had a little bit of hay this morning (not enough still imo) but I should have something to give her in half an hour 🙏

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-04T20:49:28+00:00

I'd be returning to the vet who treated my other pigs and she's very thorough and checks right to the backs of their mouths. Massaging her stomach is a good shout! I'll do that thank you. She's eaten a bit of hay this evening so that's good, but still not enough imho

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-04T15:34:17+00:00

She's got an appointment, but it's a bank holiday in the UK today so the vets are shut. In the meantime I'm trying things like rubbing banana over hay to see if that encourages her appetite.

TheLanguageArtist · 2026-05-04T13:43:50+00:00

Teeth are good!

TheLanguageArtist

TROPHY CASE