Infinite vocabulary

[Paul Frank]

> >Your student is right about the importance of context and the endless
supply
> >of expressions for sex. However, though the list may be as infinite as
> >Borges's universal library, some verb-noun pairings would seem to be
> >excluded from it. Saying "I think they're watching the paint dry,
dragging
> >their feet, beating around the bush, doing nothing to write home about"
may
> >mean lots of things, but not that they're doing it. Though come to think
of
> >it, these statements could all mean that the deed is in the offing.
>
> I don't think there's any question about the middle two being capable
> of packing quite a sexual innuendo; the outer two would merely be
> comments on technique.
>
> I can't believe I'm posting this.
> Alice Faber
faber at haskins.yale.edu

On reflection you're right. I oughta get out more.

Paul
____________________________________________
Paul Frank
Business, financial and legal translation
>From Chinese, German, French, Spanish,
Italian, Dutch and Portuguese into English
E-mail: paulfrank at post.harvard.edu - Thollon, France
____________________________________________
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2