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Joined: Jul 2003
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
From a review of an Office suite:
"One small but immense improvement from version 1.0 is . . ."
Huh?
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Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
IMMENSE
from Encarta
15th century. Via French from Latin immensus , literally “not measured,” from mensus , the past participle of metiri
From M-W
transcending ordinary means of measurement
From Webster 1827
Unlimited; unbounded; infinite
One could argue from these examples that small and immense are not mutually exclusive.
If one so wished, that is.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
How about a minor change having a large effect:
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Friendly amended
Move one comma:
Woman, without her, man is nothing.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
>How about a minor change having a large effect:
I've little doubt that the above is what they were shooting for. I still don't like "small but immense", though, it's clumsy and unclear, as I read it.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Woman, without her man is nothing.
Should it not be a move of the comma, rather thanit's ommision?
e.g.
Woman, without her, man is nothing.
EDIT: (This doesn't negate your argument, but.)
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
>Should it not be a move of the comma, rather than it's omission?
Excellent! I had thought as much when I read the post, but being basically inverterbrate, didn't say so.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
a move of the comma
I had thought so, too. I rejected it because I've only had one cup of coffee so far. I'll take it as a friendly amendment.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
You're right, of course - one small cup of coffee can make an immense difference.
(I like Java - Java, it likes me.)
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
a minor change having a large effect
This kind of usage--where the actual words refer to different things though they are presented together--is not unheard of. There's a word I'm not remembering for a usage such as, "He put on his jacket and his courage". Is 'small but immense' the same type of usage? (I'm thinking not, but I haven't been awake very long.)
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
As I tried to convey in another thread, the pace (and therefore also the size) of change are immensely subjective 
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