Seed Pearl Necklace and Bracelets

[davg2000]

(06-05-2019 12:04 AM)James Wrote:  Dave - I disagree with your synopsis. Sarcasm or irony has been used by nearly all respondents on this particular thread, including you. It's not juvenile. It's a tool used by reasonably intelligent people to strike a nerve or even in a humorous manner. I've borne the brunt of it here and I don't whine about it, I just respond in kind.
Condescension, on the other hand, is a tool used by elitists to demean and belittle.

Provenance has absolutely nothing to do with authenticity when a photograph is the subject of scrutiny. Visual evidence is the sole determining factor. What do you think the odds are that members of this forum would reconsider their position should future research tie the Abe and Mary dag directly to either Abe or Mary? Zero.

James, I was an English teacher for a long time. Here is what verbal irony is--saying something in words opposite to one's intent. I can't think of a writer I've taught who didn't use it. The use of verbal irony requires great ability. Jonathan Swift, to name one, was a genius at it. True, there is a relationship between verbal irony and sarcasm, but sarcasm is usually used in conversation and is heavy and mocking in tone. Sarcasm is used to ridicule. Donna used it often. You, a bit less. Contrary to verbal irony, sarcasm doesn't require much skill--children are able to use it early. For that reason adults don't (or shouldn't) give it much weight. But the larger issue is the effect of sarcasm. If your purpose is to promote the genuineness of the dag or to defend the dag against the an attack on its genuineness, why would you ever want to alienate your reader? How does that help you achieve your purpose? And if you think the foregoing is condescending, it truly isn't. But I did know my field.

Your remark about the significance of provenance is wishful thinking. Can you imagine how air-tight your case would be if you had been able to show the provenance of the photograph back to the Lincolns? But you have none, so you dismiss its value.

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(06-05-2019 03:01 AM)Steve Wrote:  I know I'm repeating myself from an earlier comment, but I would really like to hear people's opinions on this question. Judging just by looking at the image, and not inferring anything by any outside assumptions (like who the people in the image may be and when you think the photo was taken), how old do you think the two people in the image are? What age range, in their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's? Note that the man has a slight graying of his beard but I don't think I can see any other graying hair on the man and woman.

Steve, I'd guess late forties or early fifties.