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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
Ah, Metameta, I am so pleased to see that the hook is set.
You posit a false dichotomy, which baits the trap in which you find yourself ensnared. The answers to your questions are "both/and."
The key to all of this was discovered and set down by the Anglican Divine Richard Hooker in the late 16th Century. See his "Of the lawes of ecclesiasticall politie" in its complete Folger Library edition. Hooker explained that the source of all truth is located in the confluence of scripture, tradition and reason.
The "scripture" in the instant case is the works of Saint William Shakespeare, of Saint Thomas Cranmer and of the other giants of our language.
The "tradition" is in the interpretation of the sacred deposit laid down by such inspired souls as Saint H.W. Fowler, Saint E.B. White, Saint Edwin Newman and Saint William F. Buckley Jr. (on matters of language, not politics).
The "reason" is that which one brings to the dance. As the language evolves, one may participate in the process by drawing on the sacred writ, understanding the commentary thereon and then applying wit to find a defensible place in the muddle.
Dogma? Yes.
Inspiration? Yes.
Knowledge? Yes.
Method? Yes.
I remain at your service.
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724 |
Side thought: Does a poster post posts?
A poster posts posts post posting posts.
I am sure a longer sentence is possible - anyone?
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
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addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
Hi Avy:
I'm not sure about the number of successive 'posts' you can manage, but I still remember from my schooldays a sentence composed of a word used ten times in succession.
I'll hold off posting the example to allow you all some thinking time.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
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addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
Me again.
I just re-counted and it's eleven not ten in succession.
That should make it easier for you!
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
paulb--
Is it the exact same form of the word? No endings added?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4 |
According to Origins, by Eric Partridge:
orient, the east, has late MF-F derivative orienter, whence 'to orient", whence, in part, "to orientate" and, prob after F, orientation; F orienter has the EF-F cpd desorienter. whence "to disorient", largely superseded by "to disorientate", whence disorienattion; hence, anl, "to reorient", now usu reorienatte, whence, anl, reorientation.
Is this any help, or just confusing?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 29
newbie
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OP
newbie
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 29 |
There is an old chestnut with 14 instances of the same word, all in succession. It involves two proper nouns, one of which is a little "iffy".
Is iffy an acceptable word, or should I place it in quotes to indicate its "iffy" status?
Thanks,
MM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 29
newbie
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OP
newbie
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 29 |
A poster poster posts posts post posting posters.
Ach, I'm not sure I should be having this much fun on a Sunday morning--eh, Father?
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 29
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 29 |
I'm new to this, and it's taking all my orienteering skills to find my way around, but I'm fascinated by the responses. I prefer disoriented to disorientated, if only for the brevity, which seems like a reasonable argument since it appears to have become a toss up between the two.
BTW Would disorienteering be akin to lying on the couch with one's eyes closed?
David
Carpe rutila
Carpe whatever
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 347
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 347 |
...I still remember from my schooldays a sentence composed of a word used ten times in succession ... I just re-counted and it's eleven not ten in succession.
Funny you should mention this, paulb. This week my daughter showed me her school newsletter with the following item in the Fun/Jokes section for the kids.
A signwriter had just finished painting the sign FISH AND CHIPS on a shop when the owner came out and complained "There's too much space between FISH and AND and AND and CHIPS."
I then introduced what I presume is the same example as yours, which I too recall from my school days.
Am I on the right track if I say it's a 3-letter word, some in quotes, and technically it's two sentences, or at least two distinct thoughts connected by a semi-colon? No proper nouns, and no iffy word usage.
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