Linguistic Geekery- I got a letter from Noam!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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I recently took a syntax class that used Chomsky’s P&P theory as the primary framework. One day while working on a problem set, one of my friends and I began asking each other, “What Would Noam do?” This became such a catchphrase amongst the class that we ended up getting t-shirts made- the front has WWND; the back has “What Would Noam Do?” diagrammed out in X-bar theory.

I decided that it was only fair to send one of the shirts to Chomsky himself and did so, complete with a nice letter explaining the circumstances behind the shirt’s creation.

Today I recieved a signed letter from Noam himself!:

I’m going to get it framed.

I don’t really believe in P&P or minimalism… but DAMN. Noam Chomsky sent me a letter! The ling department is having a field day with this, and my week has been made. :cool:

2

WOW! That would be awesome!

3

Cool!

4

That is pretty dern cool…

5

As a philosophy graduate who’s interested in linguistics, I am WAY jealous. I would definitely get it framed too. Hee!

6

Just one question, was it all printed on the “left” side of the page? :smiley:

7

I think that’s damn cool.

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Congrats! (So, not to be dense or anything, it seems like the answer to “What would Noam do?” is “Send a nice thank-you note.”)

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I can’t help but wonder if I should get one of my friends at MIT to stalk him and see if he ever wears it. I would be so entertained.

10

Very cool, andy. But the idea of Noam asking “What would Noam do?” is a real two-fisted skull-clutcher.

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I wonder what stationary he uses. Raised red fists? Socialist workers peering into a confident future? A simple red star breaking through the chians of oppression?

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It’s actually just normal MIT stationary, alas. I suppose if I sent him a t-shirt about his political opinions he might break out the socialist stationary.

It is very minimalist, though. (ha!)

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My niece says she loves the music they play in the stores where she shops. She’s into mini-mall-ism, I guess.

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Be thankful you haven’t debated him.

(I saw a lecture by him once. “Clueless” came to mind.)