Microbes Maketh Man, and vice versa

[Joel S. Berson]

One commentator suggested that the headline should be understood as
object - verb - subject, so that the verb is really a correct
singular: "Man Maketh Microbes".  An absurd notion about English word
order, I think.  But to see that both are true -- microbes make man
and man makes microbes -- one might read Theodor Rosebury's "Life on
Man".  (Microscopic) things one doesn't really want to be introduced to.

Joel

At 8/20/2012 11:43 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>On Aug 20, 2012, at 6:21 AM, David A. Daniel wrote:
>
> > But wait. The Economist got it right and O'Hare got it wrong. They were
> > playing with the Manners Maketh Man motto. Or am I missing something?
> > DAD
>
>Yes, that comes up in the comments, which are actually somewhat informative.
>
>LH
> >
> >
> > Poster:       Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Mike O'Hare, Language Cop
> >
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ---
> >
> >
> http://www.samefacts.com/2012/08/language-and-usage/language-police-blotter/
> >
> > Oy! Just confirms my personal disdain for the Economist.
> >
> >     VS-)
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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