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I'll venture an opinion:<br>
<br>
It is a kind of a mild joke. “On the one hand…” and even more “on the
other hand …” are very well-established phrases for introducing
alternatives. It is more marginally used for additional, rather than
alternative considerations. They are thus somewhat synonymous, or at
least interchangeable in many contexts, with one sense of “in the first
place …” and “in (the) second place …”, etc. But those idioms involving
“place” are more likely to be used for additional, rather than
alternative, considerations, and are often (under either an alternative
or an additional meaning) part of a longer series than just two (“in
the third place …”, etc.). <br>
<br>
"On the one/other hand”, with its still strong-ish
(metaphorical/metonymic) tie to the bodily imagery of weighing physical
objects in the two hands, normally only allows for two options. To say
“on the third hand …” is thus useful, because one often finds more than
two alternatives (or additional points) to consider. It is also funny
in that it evokes a picture of a three-armed human comparing three
objects in his/her three hands.<br>
<br>
I have heard, and probably used the phrase, but it is not standard,
centrally English for me (yet).<br>
<br>
--David Tuggy<br>
<br>
Emmanuel HABUMUREMYI wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:640065.81487.qm@web27705.mail.ukl.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
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<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dear
all,<br>
<br>
Yesterday I met the new expression for me. and I didn't found it
meaning. The expression is "On the third hand". Could anyone help in
tracing its meaninga and origine?<br>
<br>
Emmanuel Habumuremyi<br>
Rwanda<br>
<br>
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Message d'origine ----<br>
De : bolstar1 <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bolstar1@yahoo.com"><bolstar1@yahoo.com></a><br>
À : <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com">lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com</a><br>
Envoyé le : Samedi, 17 Mai 2008, 21h50mn 31s<br>
Objet : [Lexicog] Phrase -- Long Word, With Gaps<br>
<br>
<div id="ygrp-text">
<p> What is a set phrase, but simply a long word with gaps? I came <br>
to this conclusion many years ago when teaching English in Korea, <br>
who's students -- when allowed contact with native speakers (not <br>
merely educated Korean English teachers) -- seemed to lose their <br>
appreciation for the finer points of grammar and vocabulary, and <br>
glommed onto the study in how English speakers really, actually, <br>
truly spoke. That required a focus on phrases. They quickly had me <br>
dialoguing and feeding-back with them in conversational English, <br>
which meant with all the color and imagination of real language -- <br>
including idioms, cliches, aphorisms, proverbs, allusions (e.g. <br>
Bangalore is the silicon valley of India), turns of phrase, <br>
expressions, quotable quotes, etc. (e.g. What native speaker would <br>
not immediately recognize the speaker, and the meaning, of the two <br>
intial, and othewise banal, words in the quote "Ask NOT...?"). And <br>
the more I dialogued with them and checked the phrases against <br>
standard idiom dictionaries, the more dejected I became at the dearth <br>
of the very expressions and allusional references that consitute the <br>
spoken English language. <br>
But phrases are an odd bird, and are subject to more of the "you-<br>
have-to-be-there experience" than simple grammar and vocabulary. This <br>
contextual learning, versus memorization learning, takes space (on <br>
paper, as well as in the flesh). Set phrases often convey a single <br>
idea (but with two elements -- subject and predicate). They often are <br>
simply -- and simple -- noun phrases, or simple verb phrases (with an <br>
added emotional/connotati ve context, or a teaching point). `A penny <br>
saved is a penny earned.' can be considered a phrase, an idiom, a <br>
proverb, and an aphorism. But Franklin simply meant "Save your <br>
money." <br>
This is another reason, amongst many, I'm waiting with bated <br>
breath for a true e-reference world. And this, not merely to be able <br>
to append (via link-clicks) cursory treatments of single-word <br>
definitions, but to include pronuciation (words stressed within <br>
phrases, as opposed to words in isolation), etymologies, regional <br>
variations, frequency evaluation, degrees of <br>
emotion/emphasis/ vulgarity/ politeness, appropriateness in differing <br>
contexts, exemplative and real-world uses, synonyms and synonymous <br>
phrasing (e.g. `(get) angry' = 1) see red 2) go through the roof <br>
3) (be) as mad as a hornet 4) have a hissy fit 4) lose one's <br>
cool/one's temper...the list goes on and on.). Linked backgrounds of <br>
proverbs, allusions, and aphorisms would be an alleviation of a <br>
source of angst and puzzlement amongst learners, especially in <br>
humorous contexts. <br>
As a simple example, when dictionaries list `model', definitions <br>
include words like: good example, pattern, paradigm, prototype, rule, <br>
epitome, ideal, exemplar. This often begs the question of the meaning <br>
of the original word. Synonyms naturally are relied upon. But one <br>
rarely finds corresponding phrasal equivalents or examples (much less <br>
with with usage notes and pronunciation) . <br>
In the following example, various phrases could be substitute <br>
for `model', often assuming the rhetorical form of "allusion": 1) <br>
the gold standard of...; the bench mark' (or benchmark) of...' (model <br>
for physical, qualitative, or quantitative measuring) 2) a `fairy-<br>
tale story' (model of ultimate success story) 3) `the flag bearer <br>
of...' (model of performance; leadership) 4) `a living legend'; `the <br>
stuff of legend'; `the pin-up girl of...'; `the poster boy <br>
of...'; "If there ever was a (something), he is it."; `in true <br>
(something) fashion'; `picture perfect'; `piece de resistance' <br>
(French for idyllic or exemplary) -- (model exemplifying a <br>
particular trait of a person/thing) 5) `hold someone/something up as <br>
a... model'; `roll out a new... model'; `a proof-of-concept model' = <br>
context wording 6) `the spittin' image of...' (model of physical <br>
likeness) 7) `an `all-singing, all-dancing. ..' (model of product <br>
(business) signifying all-roundedness 8) `America's sweetheart' <br>
(model of esteem; adoration; adulation) 9) `capture the moment' <br>
(model of image, impression, concept) 10) `It starts at the top'.; <br>
`For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The <br>
eyes of the people are upon us'. (John Winthrop quote) -- (model of <br>
leadership behavior, in quoted form). <br>
One note regarding pronunciation: accent marks are <br>
straightforward in words (though variations exist between regions), <br>
but often are lost in phrasing. In fact, there are no consistant <br>
rules in phraseology, but are subject to custom and to placement. Who <br>
ever heard of a `shoe shop', not a `shoe shop'? In the previous list <br>
of phrases, `a living legend' stresses the noun `legend', not the <br>
participle adj. `living'; but with `spittin image' it's the reverse, <br>
stressing the participle adj. `spittin', not the noun `'image'. <br>
The e-revolution in publishing will be a watermark in deepening <br>
and broadening the tools of the lexicographer/ student. Particularly <br>
appealing to me is foldable, portable, paper-thin, downloadable, <br>
interactive reference works that allow drilling (which were projected <br>
to be forthcoming, yeeers ago). It's disconcerting that these e-<br>
products are so slow in coming to market. There's just a whole lot of <br>
work to be done. Lexicographers of the world, unite! <br>
<br>
Scott Nelson<br>
<br>
<br>
</p>
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