Monday, April 22, 2013

the bird caller


A Bird Caller. I'm sure you've seen one of these before. Doesn't every child own one at one time or another? It probably does as poor a job of producing bird language as current translation software does of translating between English and Japanese. I'm pretty sure the sparrows were telling me to shut up.

6 comments:

  1. THAT's what it is??? I've never seen one. And you're probably right and the birds come over because they're so busy laughing at the noise it makes.

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  2. Ha-ha! Oh yes, I had one! I *lived in Hope* that all Birds would start conversing with me.... but, darn, no luck... I think only Mozart's *Papagano* could charm the birds!

    Love this!!!

    Hugs,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  3. Never owned one but it is never too late.

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  4. Ha! I never thought of bird-callers as an analog of Google-boggled translation, but I'm sure you're right! On a slight tangent, I have a Japanese book on textile design with an English introduction entitled "Ramblingly Note on Wasarasa Patterns" that is one of the most enchantingly mistranslated pieces of writing I've ever encountered. In it the English(ish) language accomplishes all sorts of unlikely swoops & switcheroos. Reading it gives me a peculiar delight, & I hope the birds are equally entertained by our mistakes.

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  5. Birds were probably just asking you to repeat what you said, to twittergiggle all over again at your accent. Lovely piece.

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