[COMPLETE] H.L. Mencken--The American Language--philc

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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DrPGould
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Post by DrPGould »

The American Language by H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956). --philc

This project can now be found in our catalog at https://librivox.org/the-american-language-by-h-l-mencken/

Volunteers outside the USA: H. L. Mencken died in 1956. His work is still protected by copyright in places, like Europe, where copyright is author's death plus 70 years, and Australia (author's death plus 70 years for authors who died after 1954).
"It was part of my daily work, for a good many years, to read the principal English newspapers and reviews; it has been part of my work, all the time, to read the more important English novels, essays, poetry and criticism. An American born and bred, I early noted, as everyone else in like case must note, certain salient differences between the English of England and the English of America as practically spoken and written—differences in vocabulary, in syntax, in the shades and habits of idiom, and even, coming to the common speech, in grammar. And I noted too, of course, partly during visits to England but more largely by a somewhat wide and intimate intercourse with English people in the United States, the obvious differences between English and American pronunciation and intonation.
Greatly interested in these differences—some of them so great that they led me to seek exchanges of light with Englishmen—I looked for some work that would describe and account for them with a show of completeness, and perhaps depict the process of their origin. I soon found that no such work existed, either in England or in America—that the whole literature of the subject was astonishingly meagre and unsatisfactory." (Mencken [Preface])
    1. How to claim a part, and "how it all works" here To find a section to record, simply look at point 5. below at the sections. All the ones without names beside them are "up for grabs." Click "Post reply" at the top left of the screen and tell us which section you would like to read (include the section number from the left-most column in the reader list, please). Read points 6. to 8. below for what to do before, during and after your recording.
    2. New to recording? Please read our Newbie Guide to Recording!
    3. Is there a deadline? We ask that you submit your recorded sections within 1-2 months of placing your claim. Please note that to be fair to the readers who have completed their sections in a timely way, if you haven't submitted your recording(s) after two months, your sections will automatically be re-opened for other readers to claim, unless you post in this thread to request an extension. Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the Book Coordinator. If you cannot do your section, for whatever reason, just let me know and it'll go back to the pool. There's no shame in this; we're all volunteers and things happen.Please do not sign up for more sections than you can complete within the two month deadline.
    4. Where do I find the text? Source text (please only read from this text!): http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43376
    5. Please claim sections (the numbers in the first column below)! If this is your first recording, please let me know under which name or pseudonym you'd like to appear in the LibriVox catalogue. We can also link to a personal website/blog.

      Prospective Prooflisteners: Please read the Listeners Wanted FAQ before listening! Level of prooflistening requested: standard


      Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in process (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!


      Magic Window:



      BC Admin
      ===========================================

      ============================================

      Genres for the project: *Non-fiction/Writing & Linguistics; *Non-fiction/Literary Criticism; Culture & Heritage

      Keywords that describe the book: will complete before cataloging

      ============================================
    6. BEFORE recording: Please check the Recording Notes: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430

      Set your recording software to:
      Channels: 1 (Mono)
      Bit Rate: 128 kbps
      Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
    7. DURING recording:
      No more than 0.5 to 1 second of silence at the beginning of the recording!
      Make sure you add this to the beginning of your recording:
      START of recording (Intro)
      • "Chapter [number] [Part#]of The American Language. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit: librivox DOT org"
      • If you wish, say: "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
      • Say:
        "The American Language, by H. L. Mencken. [Chapter # & Title] [Part# & Title]"

      END of recording
      • At the end of the section, say:
        "End of [Chapter #] [Part#]"
      • If you wish, say:
        "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
      • At the end of the book, say (in addition):
        "End of The American Language, by H. L. Mencken. "

      There should be 5 seconds silence at the end of the recording.

      Please remember to check this thread frequently for updates!
    8. AFTER recording
      Need noise-cleaning?
      Listen to your file through headphones. If you can hear some constant background noise (hiss/buzz), you may want to clean it up a bit. The new (free) version 1.3.3. of Audacity has much improved noise-cleaning. See this LibriVox wiki page for a complete guide.
      Save files as
      128 kbps MP3
      americanlanguage_##_mencken_128kb.mp3 (all lower-case) where ## is the section number (e.g. americanlanguage_01_mencken_128kb.mp3)


      ID3 tags are now added automatically in the cataloging process.


      Please ignore tags for Genre and Track Number - these will be filled in automatically at the cataloguing stage.
      Transfer of files (completed recordings) Please always post in this forum thread when you've sent a file. Also, post the length of the recording (file duration: mm:ss) together with the link.
      • Upload your file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader
        Image
        (If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
      • You'll need to select the MC, which for this project is: philchenevert
      • When your upload is complete, you will receive a link - please post it in this thread.
      • If this doesn't work, or you have questions, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.



      Any questions?
      Please post below


MC-philchenevert
DPL-Barbara2
BC--DrPGould
Last edited by DrPGould on October 24th, 2017, 5:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Welcome, one and all!

I am grateful to philchenevert and barbara 2 who have agreed to MC and DPL this project. Thanks so much Phil and Barbara.

Thanks to Barbara and Carolin who separately suggested this project.

We're looking for many enthusiastic readers!

Notes to Readers

(1) When you post the files for this project, please be sure to use the section # in the left hand side of the MW--not the Chapter numbers as the Chapters are divided into parts.

(2) Please read all non-bibliographic footnotes. At the point in which they occur in the text (if it is in mid sentence, then insert the footnote at the end of the sentence) say "Footnote [read text of footnote] End Footnote" and continue reading the text.

A bibliographic footnote [one that should not be read] looks like this:

[2] America's Coming of Age; New York, 1915, p. 15. See also the preface to Every-Day English, by Richard Grant White; Boston, 1881, p. xviii.


A non-bibliographic footnote [one that should be read] looks like this:

[3] The common notion that the Académie combats changes is quite
erroneous. In the preface to the first edition of its dictionary
(1694) it disclaimed any purpose "to make new words and to reject
others at its pleasure." In the preface to the second edition (1718)
it confessed that "ignorance and corruption often introduce manners of
writing" and that "convenience establishes them." In the preface to
the third edition (1740) it admitted that it was "forced to admit
changes which the public has made." And so on. Says D. M. Robertson,
in A History of the French Academy (London, 1910): "The Academy
repudiates any assumption of authority over the language with which
the public in its own practise has not first clothed it. So much,
indeed, does it confine itself to an interpretation merely of the laws
of language that its decisions are sometimes contrary to its own
judgment of what is either desirable or expedient."


(3) Some of these sections have short tables and the occasional non-English/American word or phrase. Use your best judgement as to how they should be read and pronounced.

(4) If you cannot figure out what to do, please ask. We'll work through it together. I want this experience to be enjoyable for all. :)

Ever forward.

Many thanks,

Philip
Last edited by DrPGould on October 24th, 2017, 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
philchenevert
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Post by philchenevert »

Hot Ziggedy, this is going to be fun. Thanks for setting this up Philip. I will get to the magic window this afternoon.
Peruvian owls always hunt in pairs because they are inca hoots.
89 Decibels? Easy Peasy ! https://youtu.be/aSKR55RDVpk
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Phil--

Still not able to access the MW for this project--although I can for the other projects I have here. Project doesn't show on the management dashboard either. Confusing.

Love the quote under your signature. If we all aspired to that...things would be better.

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
philchenevert
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Post by philchenevert »

The problem was on my end. The project screen has been blanked out! I had to put you in as BC and me in as MC again. Don't know what happened but it should be fixed now.

About my sig, that is my most sincere wish and hope for myself; that I can do that every day until I pass on. I have found that that is the way of true happiness for me :D
Peruvian owls always hunt in pairs because they are inca hoots.
89 Decibels? Easy Peasy ! https://youtu.be/aSKR55RDVpk
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Phil:

Thanks for the MW! Everything went in just fine. As you can see, I can't count--there are two more sections than I actually had. :roll:

I think we're ready to roll.

Many thanks,

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
silverquill
Posts: 28811
Joined: May 25th, 2013, 9:11 pm
Location: Southern California

Post by silverquill »

Oh, my! Great book to read. Love this stuff. I'd love to claim a bunch of this, but, resisting the temptation to over extend myself, let me start with just one, Section 46. If they are still unclaimed when I can take more, I'll look at the two sections following. Well, the one on grammarians (28) is great too, not to mention . . . . :mrgreen:
~ Larry
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

I'll start with sections 5, 6, and 8, if that's alright.
mightyfelix
LibriVox Admin Team
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Joined: August 7th, 2016, 6:39 pm

Post by mightyfelix »

mightyfelix wrote:I'll start with sections 5, 6, and 8, if that's alright.
Can I throw in 34 along with that? And an order of fries, please?
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Larry and Devorah:

Welcome to the project! The requested sections are yours. (In the spirit of Larry's post, Devorah, would that be steak fries, waffle fries, curly-q's, regular fries.....do you want them plain, smothered in garlic, cheese, loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream.............)

Enjoy!

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
mightyfelix
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Posts: 11103
Joined: August 7th, 2016, 6:39 pm

Post by mightyfelix »

DrPGould wrote:Larry and Devorah:

Welcome to the project! The requested sections are yours. (In the spirit of Larry's post, Devorah, would that be steak fries, waffle fries, curly-q's, regular fries.....do you want them plain, smothered in garlic, cheese, loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream.............)

Enjoy!

Philip
Why, steak fries, of course! Just lightly salted, please. But if you have some of that campfire sauce from Red Robin, I'll take a gallon!
2peltons
Posts: 1636
Joined: August 6th, 2011, 11:10 am
Location: Southwest Georgia

Post by 2peltons »

May I read section 1?

Mike
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Hello Mike!

Welcome to the project. Section 1 is yours. Enjoy!

Many thanks,

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
2peltons
Posts: 1636
Joined: August 6th, 2011, 11:10 am
Location: Southwest Georgia

Post by 2peltons »

barbara2
Posts: 2919
Joined: June 24th, 2012, 10:28 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Post by barbara2 »

2peltons wrote:Here is section 01 with a time of 9:47.

https://librivox.org/uploads/philchenevert/americanlanguage_01_mencken_128kb.mp3

Mike

That was great, Mike. PL OK.

(Though I make it 9:52)

Best,

Barbara
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