service = 'benefit afforded by animal activity'; synchronicity = 'conjunction; intertwining'

[Jonathan Lighter]

Another good synonym for this ex. of "synchronicity" would be
"interdependence."

JL

On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 5:08 PM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: service = 'benefit afforded by animal activity';
>              synchronicity = 'conjunction; intertwining'
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I think equating "services" with "benefits" misses the point.
>
> In many companies (and in the military) essential functions are
> performed by contractors. The functions are often called "services". I
> take the NPR comment to be consistent with this sense of the word.
>
> DanG
>
> On Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 7:27 PM, Jonathan Lighter
> <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
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> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: service = 'benefit afforded by animal activity';
> >              synchronicity = 'conjunction; intertwining'
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > I suppose the exx. are theoretically identical, but today's plurality
> > of number, the collocation with "provide" and the construction "X
> services"
> > conveys a very different image, at least to me/
> >
> > Also, the 1919 quote has a literary flavor that the young lady's remarks
> did
> > not. My impression was that she and her colleagues talk about "providing
> > services" all the time.
> >
> >
> > JL
> > On Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 6:54 PM, Garson O'Toole
> > <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>wrote:
> >
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> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       Garson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> >> Subject:      Re: service = 'benefit afforded by animal activity';
> >>              synchronicity = 'conjunction; intertwining'
> >>
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> Jonathan Lighter wrote
> >> > On _All Things Considered_ this evening an ecologist explained that
> wild
> >> > insects in the rain forest "provide many services, such as
> pollination."
> >> > Later she spoke again of various such "services," including
> "pollination
> >> > services."
> >>
> >> In 1919 insects were even paid to provide this service.
> >>
> >> Cite: 1919, The New Knowledge Library: Science, Invention, Discovery,
> >> Progress: Eight Great Books in One Volume, Page 561, Column 1, The S.
> >> A. Mullikin company, Chicago, Illinois.
> >>
> >> Plants in order to do well need to exchange their pollen with other
> >> plants of like species. Insects are the flowers' messenger boys in
> >> this service. Yes, all varieties of bees, ants, moths, butterflies and
> >> even humming birds are Nature's assistants in this work. To pay
> >> insects for this great service, plants developed flowers beautiful to
> >> the eye, showing to attract attention, secreted pleasing perfume, and
> >> especially drops of honey on which insects feed.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=JaAOAAAAYAAJ&q=%22pay+insects%22#v=snippet&
> >>
> >> Garson
> >>
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
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