1: on grammar In Agara, there is no single word for “apostrophe.” There is a phrase, however. Akt odvracejí (“act oh-d-vrah-see-YEE”) the act of aversion. According to Pávöl, Agarans simply appropriated the Greek concept of the symbol. With its meaning rendered in Greek (filtered through Latin and French) the apostrophe is: ἡ ἀπόστροφος [προσῳδία] “the accent of turning away” or “the accent of elision.” This embodies the primary use of the symbol: omitting a letter or syllable or even entire words, thus forming a contraction, or reducing the number of words one may use in expressing possession. Omission, in Agaran grammar, is seen in a rather dim light as it is the Agaran belief that to shorten or abbreviate a word is to dilute its fundamental essence, and that I think is what forms the first portion of “The Apostrophe” as I’d posted in the Writer’s Gallery. Though there is more to be said on the subject, I’d venture to guess (from what Pávöl has revealed) that Agarans tend to feel tremendously unsettled at the idea of grammatical omission. * 2: on peppercorns in vodka Though Agarans are not likely to admit to many similarities with their Russian neighbors, they share a profound, ritualized veneration of vodka. In Russia, vodka is never mixed into cocktails, and once a bottle is opened, it must be consumed, do dna. To the bottom. Agarans understand this, though one departure from their Russian cousins allows for a number of “alternative” or “secondary” vodkas to find their way onto Agaran liquor shelves. Black Vodka is the most famous of these variations. Black vodka, or černý vodá (literally: black water) is potato vodka, flavored with black pepper. The drink is served at room temperature, though on various occasions, it may be heated to just below the boiling point, and sipped like a rather potent tea. When heated, black vodka is served in ornate tea glasses with metal holders. Sugar cubes are kept within easy reach. Black vodka is favored when friends gather and discuss important matters or share friendly gossip. When “sitting”, one takes delicate sips of the spicy liquor, while holding a sugar cube between the teeth. There are many high-quality black vodkas available in Agara, the most famous brand is called Opát. It is flavored both by peppercorns in the bottle, and sprigs of the pepper plant itself. Pávöl once explained that when an unopened bottle of Opát is placed in direct sunlight (in the presence of a particular person) the simple gesture of placing the bottle is meant to express sexual interest and/or invitation. I have observed Pávöl buying Opát on sunny afternoons, and placing it in direct sunlight on the kitchen table, while casually discussing pointedly-mundane matters with his boyfriend. I have a very graphic idea of what usually happened later. * One might guess from this post, and the one preceding, that there are shifts in Agara. I sense no actual changes in that strange phantasm of a country, but I do recognize a few adjustments. In Pávöl’s tale, there is no reference made to “the Machine” and no reference to vermin succubi, and yet each of those things must surely exist in the day-to-day reality of his life. The very fact that such things have moved into the background and “off the page” is an indication that something new is emerging. As with other “overlay” images: this one is composed of 6 layers derived from both Prague and Chicago. I’m amazed at how much this image actually feels like Agara to me. As always: thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great, pleasantly-eventful week.