In a message dated 2/14/01 3:26:09 AM Eastern Standard Time, pennydreadful@powersurfr.com writes:
<< .I speculate that perhaps Annie means it would be very difficult to accurately transcribe "body language", in comparison to speech, as a means of communication...how would you go about writing out the Buster Keaton movie playing in your head (well I know *I've* always got one rolling) to make it ROTFL amusing? Better off converting into a more dialogue-oriented format. "'X,' said Y [Z-ly]" gets the point across succinctly, if not always terrifically aesthetically; where a list of Y's bodily contortions (which in real life or a Buster Keaton movie *could* communicate "X, Z-ly" very efficiently) will have the reader skimming ahead for the next period/paragraph break/dirty word. >>
Give yourself a kewpie doll. That's exactly what I meant. ;-)
Annie