Comments on: There’s a word for it

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 30 Nov 2002 12:53:59 +0000

I remember learning about “amok” in a class on Malay oral traditions and English colonials’ misguided approaches to documenting them. (Barbaric, I tell you. Har.) This article on the etymology of the word kind of touches on the problem of accepting written versions of oral histories.

I know what you mean about freaking yourself out, tho; I think it gets worse when you focus on it. maybe if you develop a symbolic warning system, like I only show my teeth in a grin when I’m really pissed and ready to spring. I know it, most of my acquaintances know it, so really all I have to do is grin really big and I’m reminded to chill a tiny bit…

By: kismet

kismet — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:24:33 +0000

for thanksgiving, I will be eating pork chops, I think. whee.

my family however, will have the choice of what of my mother’s homemade pies they want to eat. ungrateful bastards heh.

By: miguel

miguel — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:19:16 +0000

It was a Freudian typo, and I fixed it. In English we say “to run amok”, and I *think* it’s “amok laufen” in German, which would be a literal translation of the English expression. I know it’s not “amok machen”…

I’m sure the Dutch had plenty of opportunities to observe amok back in the day.

By: Joeri

Joeri — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:14:24 +0000

BTW: “amok maken” (to make amok) is an expression Dutch-speakers use frequently. So it probably is Indonesian.

By: Joeri

Joeri — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:12:18 +0000

“I even fell uncomfortable around my new axe” That MUST be a Freudian slip ;)