The gruntled thread reminded me of the word underwhelmed which is used as an ironic statement meaning that one is thoroughly unimpressed with something. I find this a bit of a shame since I find the "true" meaning of underwhelmed to be much more interesting.
The original metaphor is based on the meaning of whelm which involved being covered with water. Being overwhelmed meant being washed away with a deluge. Working on this metaphor, to be underwhelmed should mean to have one's base washed out from under one.
so you were slightly underwhelmed with the whole Word Association Query thread? in both senses, I would guess...
Another of these developments *we've come to use often is
overstand. Whereas
understand could mean you "have an information base from which to continue your cognitive process",
overstand has been used as either "I already understand the information but it is not relevant in context (even if it may be applicable)" or "I kept the information in mind and it acted as a hinderance to progress"...
...*we're still working on it.
And exactly who are the *we in question, musick? I've never heard overstand used in any way, shape or form. Can you give an example? Even with the meanings you've supplied, I can't fathom how it would be used in conversation.
Sounds like the military would scramble to adopt "overstood/stand." As in :
"The Lieutenant ordered the Sergeant to overstand the excercise to be sure it was carried out properly."Later the Sergeant would report : "I overstood the excercise, sir, and all went according to regs."
Wadda ya think?
nancyk - 'We' are who(m)ever you and I can get to help define it through its use... which *we "gave the time of day" last night.
The only consensus of its use was that "overstanding" is "having more information than is necessary".
---------------
That night, Manjula asks Apu if he's really serious about having children. He is, and they start the fun part of the baby-making process.
The next morning, Apu chills out in the ice cream cooler.
Homer: Hey, Apu! Sitting in the ice cream cooler, eh?
Apu: By chilling my loins, I increase the chances of impregnating my wife.
Homer: Who-o-a! Too much information! Thanks for the mental picture. Why don't you tell us what you *really* think?
Apu: Just stop spouting those hackneyed quips.
Homer: Could you be any more ... hello? [laughs] Look, just give me some ice cream...
[Apu pulls out one of the containers he's been sitting upon]
... Um, how about one not touching your ass?
[Apu gives Homer an ass-free container]
[Apu's beeper goes off]
Apu: Oh! Manjula has begun to ovulate. [gets up and leaves quickly]
Homer: Ew, thanks for sharing...
[Apu drives home - we see his car pass in front of the Kwik-E-Mart]
[yelling after Apu] ...more than I wanted to know!
I would like to thank nancyk for her question.
because that was damn funny!
Permit me to add my two pence worth to the continued
battle to master the everchanging English Language.The
language is so full of life that it continues to bend
and accomodate changes over hundreds of years without
ever buckling under the pressure of new words and phrases.
Many years ago while working in construction I heard
a south American brother say to another : Carry come
the hammer...meaning ..bring the hammer. The Rastas
have been known to despise words like Understand ,
Revelation and Eternal . Instead they say Overstand,
Itation and Iternal. These twists are fast becoming
standardised usage and are creeping into novels by
elite novelists . This brings me to the point where
in the early 60's Elvis was running out of songs and
was remaking songs of other artists...they coined the
verb...Elviserate...the remaking of an old song.Hope
I added to the confusion..Long live the English Language.
Welcome aBoard, carambola! If I may say so, your post sounds like you have an interesting history. :-)
"Elviserate"--makes me think of eviscerate!
Musick--did you write that dialogue??
yes,welcome carambola, you'll find that half of us here are prescriptives, and half here are descriptives--
but, as for who belongs to which half, that is harder to figure, since we are always changing sides!
by prescriptive/descriptive, i am referring to the idea that dictionaries should prescribe how a words should be used, (set standards, and expect the speakers of english to keep to these standards) vs. thise who think dictionaries should describe how words are actually being used, (how english is actually being spoken, recording the shifts in usage and not presuming there is a right or wrong way)
The word decimate is a fine example of the division- prescriptives think it should retain its old meaning of 10%, descriptives acknowledge the current meaning is 90%.
you sound this moment like a descriptive, but as time passes i am sure we'll find small pockets of resistance to change- we all have them!
small pockets of resistance to change- we all have them!
Nope, not me.
I use a wallet :)
Yes, i can understand a wallet for paper money, script, bills or plastic, do you also use a change purse? one of those fancy ones every one picks up in Florence? fine leather that folds in a star burst design or a simplier one that is a square when closed, and somewhat flat, and the opens to a cube? or a nice scots style one, made with velcro that crys in pain every time you open it?
Women commonly keep change in a purse of some sort in US, but most guys just carry change loose in their pockets..
(having said that, i know half the guys here are going to chime in, that they too, keep there change in some sort of leather contraption-- and not just the guys from the UK!)
>do you also use a change purse? One of those fancy ones every one picks up in Florence?
No, and who's every one? The only things I bought in Florence were a T-shirt and a souvenir guide to the National Archaeological Museum.
by prescriptive/descriptive, i am referring to the idea that dictionaries should prescribe how a words should be used, (set standards, and expect the speakers of english to keep to these standards) vs. thise who think dictionaries should describe how words are actually being used, (how english is actually being spoken, recording the shifts in usage and not presuming there is a right or wrong way) Thanks, Helen--I need reminding of those meanings from time to time. I actually think I'm kind of 100% predescriptive.
and I think I'm scriptdepreeved...
I was going to say that rhymes, metrically, with jiffylube, but I don't think I will.
Well, Jackie, just remember that 90% of this game is half-mental, anyway
I wish I could get smiley's into the "Subject" line
...half of us here are prescriptives, and half here are descriptives--
-- and the other half is MAD.
...the current meaning is 90%.
No it isn't. It *clearly means nothing that specific as I've heard it used recently, but certainly "fucked up" in general.
... and may I also issue a hearty welcome to you carambola.
...the current meaning is 90%.
Of course those of us who are *true prescrips insist that, while only 10% get killed, the other 90% are shipped off to other venues. So, if the frost decimated the orange groves in Florida…
That sounds like a lot of digging.
*true
Faldage's favourite joke from childhood:
Q: If I shot one bird in a line of ten on a wire, how many would be left?
Well ! Well ! Well ! If Daniel had his way this is what he
he'd say : Carambola , thou art weighed in the balance ,
found wanting and relegated to the 'basket of descriptives'
Thanks Helen for putting me where I belong ; I shall
endeavour to remain therin for the balance of this
incarnation .Next time around I will be Webster Oxford
Collins with username Starfruit.
By the way I always had the feeling that a dictionary
was a reference book that gave the meanings and
pronunciations of words . Unbeknownst to me that meaning
changed to include that it 'prescribes' how words should
be used -etc, etc.
As I go back in time when my hair was still black and my
gray matter absorptive , I read that somewhere in good old
England there was a committee of monocled old men with
Bryner heads that sat at least twice a year to review
words and slangs that had been recently created with a
view to rejecting or accepting them as standardized
english.As a matter of fact when the word 'Elviserate '
was bantered around Times Magazine was confident that
it will not become standardized english because the Baldies
were very conservative.
With so many words now finding themselves into popular
english usage I wonder if that 'esteemed 'committee still
exists . A second thought - it may have been 'sexed up'
by No. 10 Downing street. What a beautiful , living ,
breathing language that allows us to even poke fun at it
while we continue to grapple with its rudiments.
Just tried to be Musca Domestica in the ointment ...have
a glass of Carambola and vodka.
Well, now I have to ask: what's Carambola, please?
So named because when you slice them, the slices look like stars. Look in your supermarket next time, Jackie -- you might find them next to the mangos and papayas.
In addition to Faldage's Url take a look at :
www.capetrib.com.au/carambola.htm
Makes a lovely drink and excellent wine...has a
delayed knockout punch. There is a sister fruit :
Bilimbi Carambola ..commonly called One Finger as against
Averrhoa Carambola commonly callled Five Finger or Star
Fruit. Excellent for fruit cake and makes a wonderful
sweet and sour sauce among other things. Give Nature a
hug for all its wonderful gifts.
when you slice them, the slices look like stars.
if cut in the proper vector....
if cut in the proper vector....
[sigh] Everybody wants to get into the nit-picking act...
Unbeknownst to me that meaning changed to include that it 'prescribes' how words should be used -etc, etc.Part of me wonders how sarcastic this is intended
and the other part wants to add that - to define meaning and pronunciation usually requires a context of usage and vice-versa...
I'm not about to guess which part is which. What a beautiful , living , breathing language that allows us to even poke fun at it while we continue to grapple with its rudiments. Just tried to be Musca Domestica in the ointment...A man after Mi Corazone.
No sarcasm intended..believe me . Life is a learning
process and each day presents you with new experiences.
I love the exchange and banter on the forum devoid of the
rancour seen on others. Cheers ! Lift a glass of Carambola
to that.
I'll tip that glass with ye. welcome!
Cheers! Slainte! ¡Salúd! and welcome aBoard. Benvenido.
Ah! I almost forgot to mention it. Carambola is also a billiards shot. If I understand it correctly, it pertains to hitting one ball so as to send it into two others in three-ball, I believe. Someone Pleeeze Correct Me! It also pertains to serendipity.
Known in these parts as belimbing. (The e is pronounced as a schwa and often dropped.) For a colour piccy, see
http://www.i-2.co.id/travel/fruit_template.asp?ID=1, which also informs us that it is a good hangover cure.
They're quite common here, but I don't really like them. They have a very tart, acidy flavour.
Bingley