Originally posted by Serial_Apologist
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Is he back in the closet now? 
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No; he's in the hanger... -
I cited it as I had heard it, correct or otherwise; I agree, however, that if there has to be such a word it might better be "disincentivise".Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
But if it's incorrect anyway, it would seem to be on a par with the old chestnut that runs "which is correct - eight and eight is fifteen or eight and eight are fifteen?" which might arguably be seen as partially analogous to "have you stopped beating your wife yet?" (the PC version of which would of course substitute "wife" with "spouse")...Comment
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It isn't - it's in the OED, so it can't be.Originally posted by ahinton View Post
End of, as they say.
(But if you were being really, convinvingly pedantic, you'd write 'substitute "spouse" for "wife"'.)Comment
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Again, I did say "if it's incorrect" (although perhaps I might better have said "for those who might think rightly or wrongly that it's incorrect")...Originally posted by jean View Post
Would that really make a material difference? At present, I'm almost inclined to wonder if it might better read "have you stopped beating your head against a brick wall of your own making yet?"...Originally posted by jean View PostComment
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Absolutely so, but although we prefer s forms, most British-Englsh dictionaries still give z as the preferred spelling. We just ignore them.Originally posted by jean View PostComment
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Wondering whether, by any stretch, 'most synonymous' (Brekkie this morning: 'most synonymous with Christmas') can be allowed? I was searching the OED for a possible usage. 'Similar' appears to be obsolete, and wouldn't be quite the meaning anyway. So that'll be a No.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Was this phrase spoken by the most anonymous of presenters?[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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Originally posted by french frank View Post
... is Walter Scott synonymous with "the author of 'Waverley' "?
Was Walter Scott synonymous with "the author of 'Waverley' " before he wrote 'Waverley' ? Probably not.
Walter Scott surely became 'more synonymous' with "the author of 'Waverley' " after the triumph of the book.
Indeed that was when Walter Scott was most synonymous with "the author of 'Waverley' ".Comment
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Would that be in a context such as 'The Morecambe and Wise Show was synonymous with Christmas in the 70s'? If so, a pedant might justifiably object that the show didn't have a name semantically equivalent to Christmas.Originally posted by french frank View Post
(But a non-pedant might say that of course we know what they mean.
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No, sorry, vints. I don't think, logically, the 'most' refers to synonymous thereOriginally posted by vinteuil View Post That was the time, particularly, when Scott's name was most readily considered synonymous ...
JFLL - the context was of a carol which was 'most synonymous with Christmas'. But as it was 'I saw three ships' I don't think it was most synonymous anyway. I'd say 'Once in Royal David's City' or 'Good King Wentsistlast' were more synonymous.
ferney: Was, Is and Shall Be anonymous ...It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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... and "Once in royal" is a hymn and not a carol.Originally posted by french frank View Post
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If you're going to be really pedantic, neither is Good King Wenceslas - nor are most of the other things we call carols, a name which should only be applied to songs you dance to. And not necessarily at Christmas.
As to synonymous - originally it referred to a word that meant the same as another one, and by extension a whole phrase; that we can't think of a satisfactory equivalent for what is meant here shows there's clearly a semantic gap, and synonymous might as well fill it!Comment
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No two separate words are perfectly synonymous; there will always be differences of denotation and connotation.
Therefore it is possible for a word to be more or less synonymous with its 'pair'.
The various names adopted by Pessoa for his writings perhaps reflect differing aspects of his character. Some may represent 'more fully' the essential Pessoa (whatever that might be), others may be more 'marginal'. Therefore it could be said that that synonym which most fully represents the essential Pessoa is - 'the most synonymous' of his alter egos...
[ ... of course, he called them heteronyms
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On that basis the tune used for "Good King Václav" IS a carol, with original words for spring time.Originally posted by jean View PostComment
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