A Grade Apart

[Wilson Gray]

Back in the day, _the_ curve was the bell curve. IIRC, _the_ wall was
originally the metaphorical wall "hit" by long-distance runners, when
they reached the limit of their endurance and were no longer able to
keep up the pace.

-Wilson

On 7/4/07, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: A Grade Apart
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >Why have the "grade on _the_ curve" and the "hit _the_ wall" of my
> >lost youth become "grade on _a_ curve" and " hit _a_ wall"?
> >
> >-Wilson
>
> I'm not sure the latter fact is a fact, and the various web resources
> at hand bear that out--it's more like 50-50 for "hit {the/a} wall".
> The former has definitely become "grade on a curve"; maybe it's used
> too infrequently for the "the", or maybe there are many possible and
> distinct curves on which one may grade, while it doesn't really
> matter which wall one hits.
>
> LH
>
> >
> >On 7/4/07, Doug Harris <cats22 at frontiernet.net> wrote:
> >>---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>-----------------------
> >>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>Poster:       Doug Harris <cats22 at FRONTIERNET.NET>
> >>Subject:      A Grade Apart
> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >>I just spotted the following in The Daily Star (07/03/07),
> >>Oneonta, NY. (Please note emphasized phrase __xx__  in
> >>final paragraph):
> >>Signs against wind gone
> >>
> >>By Patricia Breakey
> >>
> >>Delhi News Bureau
> >>
> >>Signs stating, "Yes to green energy. No to industrial wind in Meredith,"
> >>have been disappearing from the homes of Alliance for Meredith members,
> >>residents said Monday.
> >>Sue Bailey, Alliance spokeswoman, said the signs began to vanish June 23
> >>when one was taken on Turnpike Road at about 11:30 p.m. The residents "heard
> >>this low muffler sound that sounded like someone turning around in the
> >>driveway and then speeding off," she said.
> >>The next night, she said, a white sedan with a loud muffler and at least two
> >>passengers __graded a sign__ on Dickman Road at 8:15 p.m.
> >>-------
> >>It would appear the writer meant the sign was 'leveled', or knocked down,
> >>but I can find no reference to such a use of the word 'grade'.
> >>If this usage DOES have a history, will you please grade me on a curve as
> >>it's a holiday?
> >>(the other) doug
> >>
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> >>
> >
> >
> >--
> >All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
> >come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> >-----
> >                                              -Sam'l Clemens
> >
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>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                              -Sam'l Clemens

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org