Word: absurdity
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...prohibits flying "at an altitude of less than two thousand feet" over a field used for exhibitions and demonstrations. But it does not clearly cover some parts of the fields where crowds may be collected?outside the entrances, or where the cars are parked?and provides for the absurd fine of not less than $300, or 90 days in jail...
...asinine. On the whole, however, the stories are braced up by the ingenious manner in which the reader becomes interested in the teller of the stories--Gibson himself--rather than in the stories, and it is really to follow him through, to see why he tells these absurd lies and to find out what becomes of him that the book is read to the end; as individual stories they are mediocre, as a collection of stories they become interesting...
Doubtless such extromes of casuistry will seem absurd not only to foreign nations but to a large number of Americans. But the absurdity lies not in Mr. Mellon's ruling, it lies in the wording of the prohibition laws. However much power fanatical Drys may believe our government to have over the rest of the world, the makers of the law had no swollen imaginations. They merely lacked foresight. The new ruling is at best a make-shift and it can be expected that at the next meeting of Congress the cause of the absurdity will be properly remedied...
There is no doubt that to incorporate a separate American dialect would be absurd, and that language deteriorates from careless use. But when they very exponent of perfect English speech himself employs the Americanism "pretty-good" in almost his first words, it is rather hard to see how Americanisms can be escaped. For although Dr. Van Dyke may pronounce his words perfectly, he unconsciously used the language of the people with whom he comes in contact. As he says, "English was kept alive and propagated as the hereditary language of this country by vocal...
Insofar as the law forbade the teaching of other languages to English-speaking children, its provinciality and bigotry are manifest. This recoiling from all languages except English, while perhaps excusable in war times, was ill-advised then, and now is absurd. The knowledge of two modern languages could be nothing but a boon, and the advantages of having them taught in the elementary schools is obvious...