Perplexing Proverb

[paul johnson]

paul johnson
     If you have to stand a night watch in the military or civilian
life, it seems to go forever.

On 8/4/2011 9:49 AM, Baker, John wrote:
>          It is a factual statement that the amount of light is at its
> least point (i.e., it is darkest) just before it begins to grow lighter
> again.  Of course, this implies an understanding of "dawn" that is
> closer to "just after midnight" than to "sunrise."
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of Shapiro, Fred
> Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 10:08 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Perplexing Proverb
>
> A reader of my weekly "column" about quotations on the Freakonomics blog
> has asked a question that has long perplexed me.  How did the strange
> proverb "It's always darkest just before the dawn" arise?  We all
> understand the point of the proverbial metaphor, but such metaphors are
> usually based on an underlying commonly accepted reality.  It's just not
> scientifically true that it's always darkest just before the dawn.  Can
> anyone help me to understand this?
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

--

Blunt force trauma
        It's better to give than to receive.

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