my friend richard posted a piece on his blog recently, about the definition of time, and he managed to get some excellent responses, aside from the usual "it's the fourth dimension".
and i had posted a video last week, which was "time lapse"
so, in keeping with this whole "time theme" that seems to be happening, my brain started thinking about the phrase :
"time flies like an arrow".
this sentence is one of my favourite examples of how the english language is not only complicated, but also how different words can have more than one meaning, yet maintain the same spelling. (homographs). (which SOUNDS like a concept that my friend rich should be familiar with).
in the original interpretation of this statement, we are comparing how the passing of time is similar to the movement of an arrow. but there are other ways for this sentence to be understood......
1. measure time for flies as you would for arrows
2. there is a kind of fly, (called a "time fly"), and it is fond of arrows
3. there are flies that resemble arrows. measure their speed
4. measure time for flies as an arrow would
obviously, a couple of these interpretations are not really possible, but i am still fascinated by the different way to read this.
what are some phrases that YOU find don't make a lot of sense, or can be interpreted in more than one way?
11.6.07
it's all in the timing
my friend richard posted a piece on his blog recently, about the definition of time, and he managed to get some excellent responses, aside from the usual "it's the fourth dimension".
and i had posted a video last week, which was "time lapse"
so, in keeping with this whole "time theme" that seems to be happening, my brain started thinking about the phrase :
"time flies like an arrow".
this sentence is one of my favourite examples of how the english language is not only complicated, but also how different words can have more than one meaning, yet maintain the same spelling. (homographs). (which SOUNDS like a concept that my friend rich should be familiar with).
in the original interpretation of this statement, we are comparing how the passing of time is similar to the movement of an arrow. but there are other ways for this sentence to be understood......
1. measure time for flies as you would for arrows
2. there is a kind of fly, (called a "time fly"), and it is fond of arrows
3. there are flies that resemble arrows. measure their speed
4. measure time for flies as an arrow would
obviously, a couple of these interpretations are not really possible, but i am still fascinated by the different way to read this.
what are some phrases that YOU find don't make a lot of sense, or can be interpreted in more than one way?
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If you’re ever been called on to give someone a reference, here are some sentences which could be taken either positively or negatively depending on the reader’s interpretation:
I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever.
(No 'buts' to dampen your enthusiasm or candidate with no skills?)
I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine.
(Is the stress on “pleased” or “former”?)
I can assure you that no person would be better for the job.
(So, is this person better than all the rest or so useless that you’d be better off leaving the post unfilled?)
I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment.
(Offer him the job without delay or don’t bother wasting your precious time?)
All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly.
(There are so many good things that you can’t mention them all here or you really can’t say enough good things to recommend them)
those are excellent!!!
i will keep those on file for the next time i must help someone out!
mine is a bit uninspired after those.
a couple of times my students have been amused by the expression: "I feel like a cup of coffee".
the answer to which is, as we all know: "you don't look like one".
The two things which first spring to mind when you mention double meanings are "double entendres" and "innuendoes". Both of those terms conjure up not only an ambiguity in meaning, but normally a risque / sexual interpretation alongside a more innocent one.
Here are some great unintentional double-entendres which have just slipped out on live TV & radio:
1. Pat Glenn, weightlifting commentator - "And this is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning and it was amazing!"
2. New Zealand Rugby Commentator - "Andrew Mehrtens loves it when Daryl Gibson comes inside of him."
3. Harry Carpenter at the Oxford-Cambridge boat race 1977 - "Ah, isn't that nice. The wife of the Cambridge President is kissing the Cox of the Oxford crew."
4. A female news presenter who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked, "So Bob, where's that eight inches you promised me last night?"
5. Steve Ryder covering the US Masters: "Ballesteros felt much better today after a 69 yesterday."
6. Clair Frisby talking about a jumbo hot dog on Look North said: "There's nothing like a big hot sausage inside you on a cold night like this."
7. Michael Buerk on watching Phillipa Forrester cuddle up to a male astronomer for warmth during BBC's UK eclipse coverage in 1999 remarked: "They seem cold out there, they're rubbing each other and he's only come in his shorts."
I leave you with the famous Monty Python sketch ... nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more!
one of my favourite jokes EVER is this :
a freudian slip is when you say ONE thing, but you're thinking of a mother.
A mother, eh? Nudge, nudge, say no more, eh? eh? ;)
Honker, i laughed so much, there's a tear rolling down my leg
a little irrelevant comment
but thnx for the link! :)
I had a little break with blogging recently :))
B-dot ... can I officially apologise if you feel I've "lowered the tone" with my risque double entendres. I think I see what kolk means when he refers to my comment as little and irrelevant. On reflection, I have a feeling you were perhaps looking for more philosophical and literary examples of double meanings.
not at all, honker - this space is completely open to anyone to post anything they like. i don't believe in censorship, for the most part.
whether they were inspired by the post or not.
who knows - perhaps someone posting a comment that is completely unrelated to something that i posted, may end up inspiring other people!!!
it's ALL good.
and for the record, my interpretation of KOLK's comment was that their OWN comment was unrelated......
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