status quo = 'situation'

[Jonathan Lighter]

If it means "stalemate," it's even weirder.

Ockham's Razor says it probably doesn't - if you can trust a talking razor.

JL

On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 11:23 AM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: status quo = 'situation'
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> How about a contrast to either side winning?
> DanG
>
> On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 11:18 AM, 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:      status quo = 'situation'
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Or maybe 'long-term situation.'  Truly, who can say?:
> >
> > 2011 Reuters
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110318/bs_nm/us_markets_oil(March
> > 18): "We may be facing the possibility of an entrenched status quo
> between
> > pro and anti Gaddafi groups," said Harry Tchilinguirian, analyst at BNP
> > Paribas.
> >
> > Though OED defines "status quo" as "the existing state of affairs," it
> > usually implies a contrast of that state with a different one.
> > In the ex. above, there's no contrast that I can see.
> >
> > JL
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
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> >
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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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