Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
#55059 02/04/02 05:18 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
they do run races in the wrong direction.
That's right, they do! I'd forgotten that.

At Churchill Downs, there is one post marked Finish, but none marked Start. The starting "post" is wherever the starting gate is. This moves to different places around the track, according to the length of each race.





#55060 02/04/02 08:03 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 144
R
member
Offline
member
R
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 144
We also manage to carry the term across to political elections, where our electoral system is referred to as 'first past the post'. Basically, the one with the most votes wins, regardless of whether or not he has a majority in his constituency. This means someone could have a majority in Parliament having only won say 40% of the votes in the constituencies making up that majority. Who needs proportional representation when you've already got such an equitable system (heavy sarcasm - e)??

I wonder if whoever came up with the term was a racing man?


#55061 02/04/02 08:08 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

#55062 02/04/02 02:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
they do run races in the wrong direction.

It should be noted that this is true only for Brits. Unlike choice of which side of the road to drive on, correct direction of races is dictated by purely natural forces, in this case the Coriolis Effect. This means that, while the Brits run their races in violation of this Law, the Ozzies and Kiwis are running theirs, although, to the untrained eye, in the same direction as the Brits, in the correct direction since the Coriolis Effect is reversed on the underside* of the world.

*http://www.bacchus-marsh.com/Files/Part 6.htm


#55063 02/04/02 04:30 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
While I grasped your twaddle, I couldn't see where my twaddle fitted into your twaddle's thesis!



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#55064 02/04/02 04:55 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Admission that South is Down, Cap. Mulling About in the Lower Latitudes


#55065 02/04/02 07:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
We also manage to carry the term across to political elections, where our electoral system is referred to as 'first past the post'.

"We", in this instance, being British. In the US it doesn't work any more, although it used to. Now the expression is "first past the Florida Supreme Court". Doesn't really have the same ring to it, does it?



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#55066 02/04/02 11:07 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
'first past the post'

Actually, here we generally say "first outta the gate" which probably makes more sense since that doesn't imply that the person has won like "first past the post" does.

Nipped at the wire I have never heard. Nipped at/in the bud is quite a common expression meaning it was stopped right at the start or just as it was beginning to form.

As to racing term...in Québec we are notorious for enthusiastically going anywhere that is *not the race track. The one we have is subsidized by the govt and caters to a few hundred people on weekends.



#55067 02/05/02 12:46 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
Not strictly true Faldage. In different states of Australia horse races are conducted either clockwise or anticlockwise. The mere fact one state does it one way is sufficient for another to do it the opposite way.

stales


#55068 02/05/02 12:53 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
A
addict
Offline
addict
A
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
...either clockwise or anticlockwise.

To get back to the original name of this thread, "British slang", I have always heard it as counterclockwise and that is the way it is listed in my dictionary. Do Brits frequently use anti over counter?


Page 2 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5