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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Limits to contraction #211598 07/04/2013 2:30 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,027 Switzerland wsieber old hand wsieber old hand Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,027 Switzerland I found this phrase in a financial news bulletin: The European Central Bank left its key interest rates unchanged Thursday, maintaining accommodative policy as the euro zone struggles to pull itself together after nearly two years of contraction. Copy Link to Clipboard Re: Limits to contraction wsieber #211599 07/04/2013 2:38 PM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Yes, but what is funny in this? Contraction NOUN: *The act of contracting or the state of being contracted. *A word, as won't from will not, or phrase, as o'clock from of the clock, formed by omitting or combining some of the sounds of a longer phrase. *The formation of such a word. *Physiology The shortening and thickening of functioning muscle or muscle fiber. *A period of decreased business activity. Copy Link to Clipboard Re: Limits to contraction BranShea #211608 07/04/2013 9:12 PM Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,554 Lower Aberdeen, Mississippi jenny jenny veteran jenny jenny veteran Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,554 Lower Aberdeen, Mississippi In the USA the phrase pull yourself together means to control your emotions so you can function, so I can see where the juxtaposition of phrases within "...to pull itself together after nearly two years of contraction" might be considered funny. No? Oh well, I'll laugh anyway. Copy Link to Clipboard Re: Limits to contraction wsieber #211612 07/05/2013 12:07 AM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont I just figured it was funny because contacting is already pulling together, no? formerly known as etaoin... Copy Link to Clipboard Re: Limits to contraction wsieber #211615 07/05/2013 5:31 AM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Yes, I see, sorry wsieber. I didn't see it. :-) Sorry too this redundancy is a square reality. Copy Link to Clipboard Re: Limits to contraction wsieber #217324 06/26/2014 11:53 AM Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 291 Victoria, Australia Bazr enthusiast Bazr enthusiast Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 291 Victoria, Australia Sounds like tautology to me!! live in the moment Copy Link to Clipboard Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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