There aint no sanity clause
am 06.11.2005 von http://transblawg.eu
When I started this blog, I was thinking of calling it No Sanity Clause. It had the ideal link between law and Mar(ks)x. But then I realized that not many Germans would understand that. Perhaps it’s just as well, since this name has since been taken elsewhere. In any case, there is legislation in place in Germany that blogs have to be called something like law blog or jura blog.
Now Language Log has had an entry on No Sanity Clause. For those who don’t know, it’s the punchline of a scene between Groucho and Chico in A Night at the Opera where they try to agree on a contract. Here’s part of the text:
Driftwood … Now pay particular attention to this first clause because it’s most important. It says the, uh, “The party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part.” How do you like that? That’s pretty neat, eh?
Fiorello: No, it’s no good.
Driftwood: What’s the matter with it?
Fiorello: I don’t know. Let’s hear it again.
Driftwood: It says the, uh, “The party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part.”
Fiorello: (pausing) That sounds a little better this time.
Driftwood: Well, it grows on ya. Would you like to hear it once more?
Fiorello: Uh, just the first part.
Driftwood: What do you mean? The party of the first part?
Fiorello: No, the first part of the party of the first part.
Driftwood: All right. It says the, …
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