[Lexicog] Is this new expression?

Mon May 19 19:56:37 UTC 2008

It might not be the same thing, but in a Scifi book called "The Mote
in God's Eye" there are three armed aliens who say: on the one hand...
the other hand... and the "gripping hand", because their 3rd hand is
much stronger and robust than the other two.

Jayarava

--- In lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com, Emmanuel HABUMUREMYI
<emmahab at ...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
> 
> Yesterday I met the new expression for me. and I didn't found it
meaning. The expression is "On the third hand". Could anyone help in
tracing its meaninga and origine?
> 
> Emmanuel Habumuremyi
> Rwanda
> 
> 
> ----- Message d'origine ----
> De : bolstar1 <bolstar1 at ...>
> Ã€ : lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
> EnvoyÃ© le : Samedi, 17 Mai 2008, 21h50mn 31s
> Objet : [Lexicog]  Phrase -- Long Word, With Gaps
> 
> 
> What is a set phrase, but simply a long word with gaps? I came 
> to this conclusion many years ago when teaching English in Korea, 
> who's students -- when allowed contact with native speakers (not 
> merely educated Korean English teachers) -- seemed to lose their 
> appreciation for the finer points of grammar and vocabulary, and 
> glommed onto the study in how English speakers really, actually, 
> truly spoke. That required a focus on phrases. They quickly had me 
> dialoguing and feeding-back with them in conversational English, 
> which meant with all the color and imagination of real language -- 
> including idioms, cliches, aphorisms, proverbs, allusions (e.g. 
> Bangalore is the silicon valley of India), turns of phrase, 
> expressions, quotable quotes, etc. (e.g. What native speaker would 
> not immediately recognize the speaker, and the meaning, of the two 
> intial, and othewise banal, words in the quote "Ask NOT...?"). And 
> the more I dialogued with them and checked the phrases against 
> standard idiom dictionaries, the more dejected I became at the dearth 
> of the very expressions and allusional references that consitute the 
> spoken English language. 
> But phrases are an odd bird, and are subject to more of the "you-
> have-to-be-there experience" than simple grammar and vocabulary. This 
> contextual learning, versus memorization learning, takes space (on 
> paper, as well as in the flesh). Set phrases often convey a single 
> idea (but with two elements -- subject and predicate). They often are 
> simply -- and simple -- noun phrases, or simple verb phrases (with an 
> added emotional/connotati ve context, or a teaching point). `A penny 
> saved is a penny earned.' can be considered a phrase, an idiom, a 
> proverb, and an aphorism. But Franklin simply meant "Save your 
> money." 
> This is another reason, amongst many, I'm waiting with bated 
> breath for a true e-reference world. And this, not merely to be able 
> to append (via link-clicks) cursory treatments of single-word 
> definitions, but to include pronuciation (words stressed within 
> phrases, as opposed to words in isolation), etymologies, regional 
> variations, frequency evaluation, degrees of 
> emotion/emphasis/ vulgarity/ politeness, appropriateness in differing 
> contexts, exemplative and real-world uses, synonyms and synonymous 
> phrasing (e.g. `(get) angry' =  1) see red  2) go through the roof 
> 3) (be) as mad as a hornet  4) have a hissy fit  4) lose one's 
> cool/one's temper...the list goes on and on.). Linked backgrounds of 
> proverbs, allusions, and aphorisms would be an alleviation of a 
> source of angst and puzzlement amongst learners, especially in 
> humorous contexts. 
> As a simple example, when dictionaries list `model', definitions 
> include words like: good example, pattern, paradigm, prototype, rule, 
> epitome, ideal, exemplar. This often begs the question of the meaning 
> of the original word. Synonyms naturally are relied upon. But one 
> rarely finds corresponding phrasal equivalents or examples (much less 
> with with usage notes and pronunciation) . 
> In the following example, various phrases could be substitute 
> for `model', often assuming the rhetorical form of "allusion":  1) 
> the gold standard of...; the bench mark' (or benchmark) of...' (model 
> for physical, qualitative, or quantitative measuring)  2) a `fairy-
> tale story' (model of ultimate success story)  3) `the flag bearer 
> of...' (model of performance; leadership)  4) `a living legend'; `the 
> stuff of legend'; `the pin-up girl of...'; `the poster boy 
> of...'; "If there ever was a (something), he is it."; `in true 
> (something) fashion'; `picture perfect'; `piece de resistance' 
> (French for idyllic or exemplary) --  (model exemplifying a 
> particular trait of a person/thing)  5) `hold someone/something up as 
> a... model'; `roll out a new... model'; `a proof-of-concept model' = 
> context wording  6) `the spittin' image of...' (model of physical 
> likeness)  7) `an `all-singing, all-dancing. ..' (model of product 
> (business) signifying all-roundedness  8) `America's sweetheart' 
> (model of esteem; adoration; adulation)  9) `capture the moment' 
> (model of image, impression, concept)  10) `It starts at the top'.; 
> `For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The 
> eyes of the people are upon us'. (John Winthrop quote) -- (model of 
> leadership behavior, in quoted form). 
> One note regarding pronunciation: accent marks are 
> straightforward in words (though variations exist between regions), 
> but often are lost in phrasing. In fact, there are no consistant 
> rules in phraseology, but are subject to custom and to placement. Who 
> ever heard of a `shoe shop', not a `shoe shop'? In the previous list 
> of phrases, `a living legend' stresses the noun `legend', not the 
> participle adj. `living'; but with `spittin image' it's the reverse, 
> stressing the participle adj. `spittin', not the noun `'image'. 
> The e-revolution in publishing will be a watermark in deepening 
> and broadening the tools of the lexicographer/ student. Particularly 
> appealing to me is foldable, portable, paper-thin, downloadable, 
> interactive reference works that allow drilling (which were projected 
> to be forthcoming, yeeers ago). It's disconcerting that these e-
> products are so slow in coming to market. There's just a whole lot of 
> work to be done. Lexicographers of the world, unite! 
> 
> Scott Nelson
> 
> 
>     
> 
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> En finir avec le spam? Yahoo! Mail vous offre la meilleure
protection possible contre les messages non sollicitÃ©s 
> http://mail.yahoo.fr Yahoo! Mail
>

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:lexicographylist-digest at yahoogroups.com 
    mailto:lexicographylist-fullfeatured at yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/