[Ads-l] Phrase: more than (less than) three hundred degrees below zero

[Laurence Horn]

yes, another symptom of the confusion produced by negatively-oriented
scales, along the perennial question (around Wimbledon, the NCAA college
basketball tournaments, etc.) about whether a 5th seed is a higher or lower
seed than a 12th seed.

LH

On Fri, Apr 22, 2022 at 3:18 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Mark Mandel wrote:
> > I read it as
> >
> > [more than three hundred] degrees below zero
> >
> > rather than
> >
> > more than [three hundred degrees below zero]
> >
> > *"n* below zero" is not a common way of referring to a negative number. I
> > don't think I have ever encountered it as that; rather, only with
> reference
> > to temperature.
>
> Good point, Mark. I automatically parse the phrase "three hundred
> degrees below zero" as a temperature; I apply the comparison to the
> temperature of -300 degrees F.
>
> However, quick probes with Google suggest that people differ in their
> interpretations.
>
> Website:Then 24
> Article: The historic polar wave that Brazil suffers could affect Argentina
> Date: Jul 26, 2021
>
> https://then24.com/2021/07/26/the-historic-polar-wave-that-brazil-suffers-could-affect-argentina/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> The temperature could reach less than 10 degrees below zero in the
> highest locations, such as the city of Gramado.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Website: The Washington Post
> Article: Coldest air of the season en route to Great Lakes, Upper
> Midwest next week
> Date: 2019/12/06
>
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/12/06/coldest-air-season-en-route-great-lakes-upper-midwest-next-week/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> By Tuesday, the high temperature may be only 3 or 4 degrees, with lows
> more than 10 degrees below zero. Minneapolis is no stranger to ...
> [End excerpt]
>
> Website: The Appliance Clinic
> Article: Temperature Control
> http://www.the-appliance-clinic.com/getmpcntrl.html
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> You are wasting energy if you keep the freezer less than 10 degrees
> below zero. Adjust the freezer control for a freezer temperature
> between 0 and 10 degrees F.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Website: lyrics.com
> Song: Mean Ol' Place #2
> Singer-Songwriter: Michael Fracasso
>
> https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/2095967/Michael+Fracasso/Mean+Ol%27+Place+%232
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> It's a mean ol place
> That place you go
> Where the outside temperature Is less than 10 below
> [End excerpt]
>
> Website: Detroit Free Press
> Article: Bone-chilling cold creates a mess around U.S.
> Author: Dave Collins (Associated Press)
> Date: Jan 8, 2015
>
> https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2015/01/08/bone-chilling-cold-creates-mess-around-us/21434291/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Temperatures were expected to drop to zero or below in southern New
> England and to 7 above in New York City, with wind chills making it
> feel like less than 20 below in some places. But little or no snow is
> forecast for most of the Northeast.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
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>

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