It's not what you say, it's how you say it...

 I have three brothers. A Linguist. A Lawyer. A Social Worker/Academic. The linguist can travel the world and pretty much hold his own in conversation, thanks to his multi-lingual abilities. The Lawyer, like our father and grandfather before him, can travel the social and political circuit and pretty much hold his own in conversation, thanks to his persuasive powers. The Social Worker/Academic can migrate between both the hearing world and the deaf community, and pretty much hold his own in conversation, thanks to years of training and experience in the art of Bullshit. All three share some genetic codes, and some serious character flaws (a tad stubborn, a bit of an ego, and slightly overactive imaginations) but in many ways, they are completely different. Of course, as is the nature of brothers, they have each fought for supremacy in the family since they arrived on earth.

So, in honor of my three brothers, the great communicators, here is a clipping from the New York Times, December 12, 1898. (click on the article to enlarge)

 

For my three brothers, it's always been not about what they say, but how they say it. As it was, ironically, for our Great Grandfather...the infamous interpreter Mr. Erdofy. Who, clearly, was a tad stubborn, had a bit of an ego, and exhibited quite the imagination. Go figure.