words of one syllable dept. revisited

[Marc Velasco]

If I'm not mistaken, 'push the envelope' originated during the design and
testing of new airplanes, think Chuck Yaeger.  All aircraft have constraints
they're designed for: maximum altitude, maximum angles of ascent, turning
rates, etc.  Together they constitute an 'envelope' of safe flying
parameters.  To push the envelope is to push, metaphorically from inside
(?), the outer ranges of what an aircraft is capable of attaining.

At least that's what they told me in aerospace class.


On Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 3:15 PM, Mark Mandel <thnidu at gmail.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: words of one syllable dept. revisited
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> If taken analogously to "push the envelope" (originally "push the outside
> of
> the envelope"?) --   meaning "try to extend the range of the possible" --
> it
> would mean something like 'move the status quo forward, keep up with the
> times'. Metaphorically I envision pushing the envelope as something like
> being inside a comic-strip speech balloon and pushing on the side to
> enlarge
> it.
>
> m a m
>
> On Sun, Aug 31, 2008 at 11:47 AM, Marc Velasco <marcjvelasco at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > I think that he said what he meant.
> >
> > > "Sen. McCain has always pushed the status quo and I believe Gov.
> > > Palin will do the same."
> > >
> >
> > Presumably, he meant 'pushed (in a direction)' rather than 'promoted (as
> in
> > drug use)'.
> >
> > The status quo in politics is often more of the same; to push it (towards
> > something) might entail pushing against those who want to protect the
> > status
> > quo and all the pocket lining that goes with it.  Perhaps.
> >
> >
>
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