Crowl as Urban Slang
In one of those idle moments when the brain is parked in a lay-by, I typed my surname into the search engine on Blogger.com. I shouldn't have been surprised that a number of people had typed "crowl" instead of "crawl" and had never noticed (who apart from me proof-reads their blog scribblings?), but seeing my name leap out from some of the most random writing on the planet is disconcerting.
It even turns up in foreign language texts. Is it a slang word that crosses borders? And talking of slang, on a site that defined "urban slang" I was shocked to find "crowl" allegedly means: “To make vigorous, often violent, viscious or even forcable or animalistic love by means of penetration of any orafice with the turgid male genitalia.” I say allegedly, since the three spelling mistakes rather undermines my confidence in the writer's street creds. Perhaps they actually meant to write "crawl". (And did they really mean "any orifice?" - nostrils?)
A Spelling Mistake?
Many blog writers don't have too cosy a relationship with grammar and spelling. We can excuse those for whom English is a second language: “I want to know does search engines crowl websites without submission. Should website important to submit to Search engines. I have some website for promotion so I want to know that Search engine will not crowl without submission.” (At least I hope this is a writer for whom English is a second language.)
The next writer, however, has style: “I'm detached. I don't want to do anything with this ugly politics anymore. If I'm lucky I'll find a hole in some quiet corner of the world and crowl there and continue my research on Machine Translation and live my own life and don't care a bit about anything that happens anywhere. If I see a needy, I'll help. But I'll forget dying African kids, and greedy thiefs of higher society... Let them do anything they want.”
Religious Crawl-ers
Perhaps the next writer was too troubled by his angst to notice where his fingers were flying: “I woke up and I looked into the mirror and standing there was someone else... Not me. I have to say that I really didn't like what I saw. What happened with the VERY confident guy that used to stare back at me and say: "Today will be a great day!!"??? I really don't know...What I saw there, in the mirror, was a fraction of what I used to see...My walk has fallen into a crowl...I didn't want to fall straight into a halt... If that happens I might as well just curl and die...I have never been so close to His will and then everything just piled up trying to tumble me to my knees and admit defeat... But I think I've got some news for ya...I won't give up and I will be at the centre of His will! God...I know things won't be easy... Help me...I think I might be losing my mind...”
Of course, losing your mind, let alone feeling you've fallen out with God, may well be the result of falling into a crowl.
And more on the religious life of the teenager: “Today-Monday, July 10, 2006-was a day of relaxation. We slept in and had pancakes for breakfast and then had morning worship and Pray the Bible. After lunch we had Salvationism class (which was really eye-opening to what we need to change in the world). The girls got into an in-depth discussion on today's RevoDevos of Exodus 19 and 20 and the Ten Commandments and the Articles of War. After dinner we had a Salvationist Missionary/Teacher visit us and talk to us about her 10 month adventure in China. It was extremely inspiring to get out there and do missions. Last night the girls decided to go to Starbucks and then have a “discussion” and because of that the boys decided they wanted a “boy's night out” as well. As soon as the boys left campus we girls went to Cozy's for our second dinner. Side note: Thai food is good.”
Merely a Pronunciation Problem?
I began to wonder if many people pronounce "crawl" as "crowl" and have a mistaken view of its spelling. “It seems like my blog has been forgotten again. But in the past 2.5 weeks I was glad if I had the energy to crowl into bed when I got home.”
Or: “I don't dispute her assessment. It's pretty evident that the forces that brought Summers down were not monolithic and many people found themselves in a firm opposition to him due to a variety of reasons. But still, it doesn't dispel the gloom that comes from the realisation that if even such a powerful man as Larry Summers had to crowl acquiescently, rather than stood by his remarks, and was still brought down, the perspectives of simple mortals are that bleak.” You have to wonder how a person who uses words like "monolithic" and "acquiescently" appears to have no idea about tense.
Crafts and Sports
Someone who may be teaching dressmaking writes the following: “At the top that blob like thing would be a pinned on flower of some sort. At the bottom, the sides would be runched up and have ties. The effect given is kind of like a crowl neck, only at the bottom. More of that crowl neck effect, but just a little tighter, so it wouldn't be overly exaggerated. Split sleeves. A sheer see-through material overtop the bottom material, adding a bit of extra length.” I've always had a "crowl neck" of course, but it's usually at the top, rather than the bottom.
Here's someone on the history of swimming: “The first literatures about swimming are dated since the 2000 B.C. However it wasn't since the 1800 the first competitions started taking place in Europe. Back then the most popular style was the breaststroke. The most popular and fast style, the front crowl, was first introduced in the so called civilized world, by John Arthur Trudgen, in 1878 who saw it from the natives Americans.” Oh, communication, wherefore art thou?
This is English?
And finally a person who hasn't yet discovered the shift key: “what an amazing moment. i tripped and fell today. i ripped my jeans, skinned my knees and killed my toe...it hurts real bad. everyone looked at me, good thing kate was with me, its always more sad when someone is alone and they fall. but i owned it and it was pretty much amazing. it almost made me late to crowl the warrior king's final. that wouldnt have been good. he was wearing jeans today and it was pretty awkward. but you dont know him so you probably dont really care. well sara knows him. im sure she will agree that its awkward.”
I'm sure she will….and not just the falling over.
