|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
Heard on the radio today, by an advocate of safety measures to protect against brain injuries:
There is only one cure: prevention.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Um--perhaps that was meant ironically?
Hmm--how come in the above word we pronounce the first two syllables eye-ron, but if it's just iron we say eye-urn?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
Nope - no irony in the delivery. Just an imprecise grasp of the concept of "cure".
As to irony, I am as likely to pronounce the "iron" part the same as the word "iron" as not. Regardless, the two words don't seem to be related (iron is from prehistoric Gmc word probably of Venetic or Illyrian origin like OIr iarn ... akin to Venetic Isaras, a river; akin to L ira, anger; while irony is from L ironia, from Gk eironeia, from eiron, dissembler).
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Pronunciation of the [r] mostly depends on where the emphasis falls, not is? I think this goes even for the non-rhotic among us.
Edited consonantly
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273
enthusiast
|
enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273 |
In reply to:
Nope - no irony in the delivery. Just an imprecise grasp of the concept of "cure".
Are you sure? Perhaps it was a deliberate play on the old aphorism. It was pithy and apt. It was also memorable, for most because it's short, and to the point, and to prescriptivists because it "misuses" cure. Either way, it sticks. Maybe that was the intended purpose.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Pronunciation of the [n] mostly depends on where the emphasis falls I was thinking of the r: how it changes places in ironically from iron and irony. For me, anyway; I say eye-urn and eye-urn-ee, but eye-ron-ih-klee. Thanks for the background, O Spartan one.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
I like the slogan. Reading it, it seems very straight-forward: you may well not recover from a head injury; many can't be fixed.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
I was thinking of the rSo was I .. I've gone back and changed it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
I've gone back and changed it.
I thought you was being ironic like...
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Me? Ironic? I'm an USn. I don't know from irony.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,397
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
579
guests, and
1
robot. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|