The language of forever love and Holden Caulfield’s language

This is one good reason that friends should meet at Facebook; from a majestic photo that comes with beautiful language posted by my cousin (陳英毅), then everybody “chips in” and suddenly we’re talking about undying love expressed in different language and surprisingly in a very similar fashion.

“天長地久 , 左上角一對男女似已見證了地老天荒的恆久誓約” (captioned by 陳英毅)

It can be loosely translated to:

“The Grand Canyon we see has been around for ages, and the couple in the upper left corner is proclaiming their eternal love.”

“天長地久” is forever lasting, “地老天荒” is more difficult to translate; it is often used when a couple proclaiming their forever love. “地老” is when the Earth grows old, whereas “天荒” is when the sky/heaven becomes barren/desolate; it’ll take forever to happen.

Then 陳英毅 posted Johnny Mathis’ “The Twelfth of Never” and its lyric (provided by 翠珍) which is a touching love song saying the world can end, but not our love.

Peggy said she memorizing a beautiful French poem of the same theme (no wonder Harry is brushing up his French).  She also said “now you have some lovely words for Katy”.

But, we’re in a stage of “此時無聲勝有聲” (there is no need to say anything at all).

Since I am studying the language of Holden Caulfield (the protagonist/narrator of The Catcher in the Rye).  I am imaging he is my Facebook friend and he would write,

“You guys are talking about 地老天荒 and undying love and all, and all that crap; I cannot stand it.  This photo is pretty as hell, the goddam Garnd Canyon and all, I have to admit it.  But, Grand. If there’s one word I hate, it’s grand.  It’s phony.  I wish you just call it Arizona Canyon or something.  I wish the couple in the picture are old Sally Hayes [Holden’s off and on girl friend] and me or old Jane Gallagher and me; she knocked me out, if you want to know the truth.”