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Jackie #208849 01/09/13 04:45 AM
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old hand
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0 - Ultimate first
1 - Penultimate Second
2 - Antepenultimate Third
3 - Preantepenultimate Fourth

olly #208857 01/09/13 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: olly
0 - Ultimate first
1 - Penultimate Second
2 - Antepenultimate Third
3 - Preantepenultimate Fourth


This is fine until you throw in "from last". If ultimate is "last" is it also anything "from last"? I like the OED's "last but n".

Faldage #208864 01/09/13 06:51 PM
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Yes, the but n~ config is nice and clear - but I think so is the use of the word to as a comparative against the defined position. The word 'from' throws confusion in the mix.

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Originally Posted By: maverick
Originally Posted By: scribbler101
Have some Madeira, m'Dear!
It's really an excellent year.
Now if it were gin, you'd be wrong to say yes,
The evil gin does would be hard to assess
(Besides it's inclined to affect my prowess)
Have some Madeira, m'Dear!"


smile Thanks for reminding me of Flanders & Swann - underrated, and surely overdue for revival in perhaps a biographically based show...


I have "At the Drop of a Hat" and "At the Drop of Another Hat" on CD and giggle my way to work and back listening to them from time to time ...

Were you aware that Stephanie Flanders, the BBC's economics editor, is Michael Flanders' daughter?


The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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> Stephanie

Yes, I frequently chuckle when I hear her pontificating on matters economical - have some madeira, m'dear!

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Jackie Offline OP
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paene -- why is this so close orthographically to paean? She said grumblingly.

Jackie #208928 01/11/13 11:02 AM
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Because, m'dear, some 2,000 years ago those pesky Romans decided that one Jackie Fulner, unpredictably bred out of the chaos that would follow the collapse of the empire, and living in a non-existent city in an unknown land, would be PISSED OFF AT THEM!

And the Romans liked barbarians to be pissed off at them. It gave the legions something to do besides overthrowing emperors. So it's all your fault, and don't you dare try to say other, my girl!



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
Jackie #208929 01/11/13 01:28 PM
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And that gave rise to the following sequence of bathroom graffiti:

I LIKE GRILS

YOU MEAN "GIRLS"

BUT WHAT ABOUT US GRILS?

Jackie #208931 01/11/13 03:03 PM
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why is this so close orthographically to paean?

They're not that close. Latin paene 'almost' is an adverb, while Latin paean 'hymn to Apollo' is a noun and a loan from Greek Παιαν (Paian).


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Jackie #208932 01/11/13 04:25 PM
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I think she meant orthographically close to English-speaking Western eyes ...


The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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