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member
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...or microphotograph? Is one a photo from a microscope image and the other a very small photograph? What does the team think?
jj
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
yes.  I think you've got it right. that's how I would interpret it, anyway... 
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
My brainy former brother-in-law, who knows about things scientific, says that a photomicrograph is always taken through (or with the aid of) a microscope.
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
former brother-in-law - come to think of it, despite its length, this expression is under-determined, and in view of nowaday's widespread "patchwork families", language has some catching-up to do  .
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 19 |
I would assume that a microphotograph would be a very small photo and a photomicrograph would be taken through a microscope. But then again i'm no scientist (and that's probably a good thing)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
this expression is under-determined
Meaning that who was once a brother-in-law could now be a sister-in-law?
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
And, Shelb, if a microphotograph is a very small photo and a photomicrograph is taken through a microscope, then a microphotophotomicrograph would be a very small photograph taken through a microscope! :) :)
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
> and in view of nowaday's widespread "patchwork families", language has some catching-up to do
Recently, I was disappointed to learn that Hindi is going the other way. Despite having different words for aunt and uncle, to distinguish between biological and marriage-related versions, all the Hindi speakers I associate with simply use "aunt" and "uncle".
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
H marries W1.
W1 had a brother B1.
B1 becomes H's brother in law.
W1 dies.
H marries W2.
W2 has a brother B2 who is now entitled to be called brother in law.
In some sense B1, is still a brother in law but not in the same sense that B2 is. Hence, "former brother in law".
Any better way to say it?
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
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Any better way to say it? No, this is just what I was "deploring"... but as long as no divorces are involved, things are relatively simple.
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Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
I don't know if it is the same for everybody but when referring to the relatives of my ex husband (a folly of youth) I usually say "the sister of my ex" or "my ex's mom." This leaves no room for ambiguity.
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addict
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addict
Joined: Nov 2003
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Team Think.That's a good one. JohnJohn. Wish'd I thought of it.
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Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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"...but as long as no divorces are involved, things are relatively simple."I'd think *things get 'relatively' simpler once the divorce is finalized.
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