Jump to content

Recommended Posts

'outside your comfort-zone' I hate this because it suggests to me that if I don't try it I'm some sort of coward or stick-in-the-mud. Also, I hate 'pro-active' but I think it was because years ago someone who was really annoying used it and I kind of felt that to be pro-active you had to be able to deal with something before it had happened.

I think you'll find most of us played rounders at school ;)


To be fair we all use hundreds of phrases where the origins are lost, obscure or misunderstood. I don't think you need to be an active participant in something to be able to analogise or use its terminology.


Although I rather liked the exchange in Episodes this week where Matt le blanc says:

- come on take it, it's a chick magnet


and MAngan's character looks slighlty nonplussed and says

-really, does anyone still use 'chick magnet'

(MLB pauses a moment)

-huh? Yeah ... I think they do. We still use it here anyway.


Made me chuckle anyway.

Ms B Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The whole nine yards, major league, out of the

> ballpark, touch base etc, especially when used by

> UK managers who don't even play the game in

> question. Just silly.



You forgot 'getting to first base' 'rain check' 'hardball' 'right off the bat' 'out of left field' 'touch base' 'step up to the plate' 'strike out' and 'a whole new ball game'.



(incidentally the whole 9 yards has a confused origin - not sporting - as do the alternatives 'whole ball of wax' and 'whole enchilada' or 'the whole shebang' - all indeed as uncertain in their origins as the English equivalent of 'the full monty').


Perhaps we should stick to cricket terms - 'all rounder', 'on the front foot', 'bowled a googly' 'hit for six' etc.

To be honest, I'm not keen on any sporting terms used metaphorically. Unless you're familiar with that particular sport they're not very successful as metaphors, plus as sport is very gendered (in cultural terms) they tend to alienate women in the audience too. So there.


Bound to offend someone, but if you can't say it in plain English you probably don't have anything to say in the first place...

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Plain english is very overrated.

>

> Whither then the nuance, the elegance, the bloom

> of a creative metaphor?


Creative use of metaphors is great - arguably all language is metaphor anyway, so perhaps it's a false opposition - but we're talking buzzwords here.

Ms B Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Huguenot Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Plain english is very overrated.

> >

> > Whither then the nuance, the elegance, the

> bloom

> > of a creative metaphor?

>

> Creative use of metaphors is great - arguably all

> language is metaphor anyway, so perhaps it's a

> false opposition - but we're talking buzzwords

> here.



Exactly



Get with the programme



Netts:-S

Annette Curtain Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ms B Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Huguenot Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Plain english is very overrated.

> > >

> > > Whither then the nuance, the elegance, the

> > bloom

> > > of a creative metaphor?

> >

> > Creative use of metaphors is great - arguably

> all

> > language is metaphor anyway, so perhaps it's a

> > false opposition - but we're talking buzzwords

> > here.

>

>

> Exactly

>

>

> Get with the programme

>

>

> Netts:-S


Can't. It's being up-cycled, reused and repurposed.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Would wholeheartedly recommend Aria. Quality work, very responsive, lovely guy as well. 
    • A positive update from Southwark Council - “We are currently updating our Enforcement Policy and changes will allow for the issuing of civil penalties ranging from £175 to £300 for visible smoke emissions, replacing the previous reliance on criminal prosecution.“  
    • A solicitor is acting as the executor for our late Aunt's will.  He only communicates by letter which is greatly lengthening the process.  The vast majority of legal people deal by modern means - the Electronic Communications Act that allows for much, if not all of these means is now 25 years old.   Any views and advice out there? In fuller detail: The value of the estate is not high.  There are a number of beneficiaries including one in the US.  It has taken almost three years and there is no end in sight.  The estate (house) is now damp, mouldy and wall paper falling off the wall. The solicitor is hostile, has threatened beneficiaries the police (which would just waste the police's time), and will not engage constructively. He only communicates by letter.  These are poorly written, curt or even hostile, in a language from the middle of last century, he clearly is typing these himself probably on a type writer.  Of course with every letter he makes more money. We've taken the first steps to complain either through the ombudsman and/or the SRA.  We have taken legal advice a couple of times, which of course isn't cheap, and were told that his behaviour is shocking and we'd be in our right to have him removed through the courts. But.... we just want him to get on with executing the will, primarily selling the house. However he refuses to use any other form of communication but letter.  So writing to the beneficiary in the 'States can take a month to get a reply. And even in this country a week or more. Having worked with lawyers in the past I am aware that email, tele and video conferencing and even text and WhatApp are appropriate means for communication.  There could be an immediate response to his questions.   Help!        
    • Labour should be applauded for bringing in the Renter's Rights Act.  But so many of you are carried away with slagging them off. Married couples with busy lives sometimes forget who did what. On this occasion Mr Rachel Reeves was sorting out the rental agreement.  Ms Reeves was a bit flumoxed with all the grief/demonsing/witch hunts she is getting so forgot to check with her other half.   Not the first or last time this will happen with couples. (That's not having a go at the post above)
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...