Category Archives: My own

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A few thoughts about the letter ‘X’

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The letter X is getting a good airing these days. Feels like we’re all dragging it out the cupboard to have another look at it now Elon Musk has decided to stand it in place of the small, tweeting blue bird.

I’ve been pondering why the letter means so much to him. It might be all the usual, slightly ominous, or techy, ‘X’ factor reasons, but I’ve come up with another theory, so I thought I’d add it to the pile.

I’m wondering if Elon Musk’s affection for the letter X might have started in South Africa, where he grew up. He only left at the age of 17, and I’m assuming he would have heard a lot of the language isiXhosa, one of the most widely spoken in South Africa, and famous for its use of clicking sounds. His own name in English, and the name of the Canadian province his mother is from, Saskatchewan, both feature the English equivalent of a clicking sound, and in isiXhosa these are represented by an X.

The language has always fascinated me. Perhaps it does him too.

Here’s another link to a South African site with a little more about the isiXhosa language

And for a final treat, a little further from the letter X, here is Miriam Makeba singing the ‘click’ song

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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A thought on age rating in films

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It must be so complex trying to decide how to rate a film. I would love to know what percentage of families take note of the ratings when it comes to seeing movies at home. In our case we tried, but sometimes it was like swimming up a waterfall, the higher ratings only making the film more tempting to any youngsters we thought we might have had a chance of influencing.

Was I grateful for the ratings? Yes, although some of them left me completely baffled, especially when our children were younger and without a television in the house. Like teddy bears at a picnic they’d be looking forward to the movie treat, when suddenly some gory, or tragic, universal ‘U’-rated film, would put them through a whole shock level of trauma that most of their ‘sophisticated’ contemporaries didn’t even register. Makes me laugh now looking back, but I remember the stress then. I think it was probably far worse for me imagining how bad it might be for them, than it actually was for them!

Our parental life had not begun in 1978, but it seems viewing trauma still lingers for those parenting then, and, as if in recognition of the stress suffered, either by parents from that time or by their children, and just in case it happens again, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has, after 45 years, raised the rating of Watership Down from ‘U’ (suitable for all) to parental guidance (PG).

In the United Kingdom the recently released film Barbie is rated as 12A meaning anyone under twelve should be accompanied by an adult.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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A first sight of Barbie, the movie

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“She’s everything. He’s just Ken”

A lot going on in this film. Bright like bubblegum, sticky too. Kept me thinking about the ending.

The main stars, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, were absolutely key to this, and they really held the ribbons together. The director is Greta Gerwig.

Have no idea what the audience thought. It was a packed, 9.15, Saturday night screening, and they arrived in chattering, happy, brightly dressed young groups or pairs. They left quietly.

Would love to know what you think if you’ve had a chance to see it. I think I need to watch it again.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023