The Law of Conservation of Consonants
Joseph C Fineman
Likewise, I have heard tell that those who say "asterik" have not
actually lost the s; they have moved it to "stastistics".
--- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
||: Unitarians believe that there is at most one God. :||
Earle Jones
In article <353f5448...@nntp.ix.netcom.com>, s.m...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
>Eureka!
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> The quantity of consonants in the English language
>> remains constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another.
>> When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah", the lost r's migrate southwest,
>> causing a Texan to "warsh" his "trruck."
>
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
--
Now *that's* funny!
It reminds me of my law for the conservation of stomach acid.
"Everyone produces the same amount of stomach acid.
Some produce it in their own stomachs.
Others produce it the stomachs of those around them."
earle
--
And, by the way, the total number of sneezes in the universe is even.
ej
--
__
__/\_\
/\_\/_/
\/_/\_\ earle
\/_/ jones
We want our Internet back! Get rid of Spam.
See http://www.cauce.org
Murray Arnow
In article <ejones12-ya023680...@news.concentric.net>, ejon...@concentric.net (Earle Jones) wrote:
>In article <353f5448...@nntp.ix.netcom.com>, s.m...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
>
>>Eureka!
>>
>>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>> The quantity of consonants in the English language
>>> remains constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another.
>>> When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah", the lost r's migrate southwest,
>>> causing a Texan to "warsh" his "trruck."
>>
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>
> It reminds me of my law for the conservation of stomach acid.
>
> "Everyone produces the same amount of stomach acid.
> Some produce it in their own stomachs.
> Others produce it the stomachs of those around them."
>
>earle
> -->
>
> And, by the way, the total number of sneezes in the universe is even.
>
> ej
Earl's example is not a conservation law. In physics a conserved quantity is
one that doesn't change in time.
Karin Montin
I had an anthropology professor who used to talk about the human specie
(and he didn't mean currency). I wonder where that s landed up.
--
Delete extra from address
Joseph C Fineman <j...@world.std.com> wrote in article
<Eru3J...@world.std.com>...
a1a5...@bc.sympatico.ca
On Sun, 26 Apr 1998 03:51:15 GMT, mar...@wwa.com (Murray Arnow)
wrote:
>Earl's example is not a conservation law. In physics a conserved quantity is
>one that doesn't change in time.
And the other kind is smarter and ducks?
Larry Phillips
Karin Montin wrote:
>
> I had an anthropology professor who used to talk about the human
> specie (and he didn't mean currency). I wonder where that s landed up.
In the late 60s, I read a book about growing and propogating orchids.
In it, the word 'specie' was used extensively. After I had read about
half the book, I was so annoyed by the error that I went back to the
beginning and inserted the missing 's' in every instance.
I pointed it out to the librarian when I took the book back. She was
somewhat taken aback, and I always wondered if she was considering
charging me for damage to the book.
--
------------------------------------------------------------
Sixty billion gigabits can do much. It even does windows.
-- Fred Pohl, Beyond the Blue Event Horizon, 1980
http://home.bc.rogers.wave.ca/larryp
------------------------------------------------------------
Skitt
Larry Phillips wrote in message <354414...@rogers.wave.ca>...
>In the late 60s, I read a book about growing and propogating orchids.
This spelling appears to be self-propagating. Rats!
--
Skitt http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/5537/
Larry Phillips
Skitt wrote:
> This spelling appears to be self-propagating. Rats!
Rats indeed! I have been spelling it that way since shortly after my
birth. I know better, now.
Donna Richoux
Larry Phillips <lar...@rogers.wave.ca> wrote:
> Skitt wrote:
> > This spelling appears to be self-propagating. Rats!
>
> Rats indeed! I have been spelling it that way since shortly after my
> birth. I know better, now.
A few months ago, after I had to look up the spelling of "propaganda," I
made up a little mnemonic: "Pagan propaganda." (Along the same lines as
the old "There is A RAT in sepARATe.") It doesn't quite carry over to
"propagate" because of the T, but the crucial vowel is the same. So
"Pagans propagate propaganda" is a possible alternate version, if
somewhat forbidding. (And no doubt offensive to our pagan friends.)
Some of you may sneer at mnemonics, but I tell you, I haven't misspelled
"occurrence" since I began spelling it to the tune of "Little Brown
Jug." (That's the one that goes, "Ha, ha, ha, you and me, little brown
jug, don't I love thee.")
Best wishes --- Donna Richoux
Gary Williams, Business Services Accounting
In article <1d86y1l.1eh...@p016.hlm.euronet.nl>, tr...@euronet.nl
(Donna Richoux) writes:
>A few months ago, after I had to look up the spelling of "propaganda," I
>made up a little mnemonic: "Pagan propaganda." (Along the same lines as
>the old "There is A RAT in sepARATe.") It doesn't quite carry over to
>"propagate" because of the T, ...
but maybe you could make use of the fact that propaganda is of the same root as
propagate.
>Some of you may sneer at mnemonics, but I tell you, I haven't misspelled
>"occurrence" since I began spelling it to the tune of "Little Brown
>Jug."
Got one I can use to keep track of how many r's, how many f's in
sheriff/sherrif/sherriff?
Gary Williams
WILL...@AHEC.EDU
a1a5...@bc.sympatico.ca
On 28 Apr 1998 16:08:25 GMT, will...@ahecas.AHEC.EDU (Gary
Williams, Business Services Accounting) wrote:
>Got one I can use to keep track of how many r's, how many f's in
>sheriff/sherrif/sherriff?
>
You are male? Think of Cher and getting lucky, and again.
For serif do the same but overide with self-doubt.
Stan Brown
[posted and emailed -- please reply in the newsgroup if your reply might
be of general interest]
will...@ahecas.AHEC.EDU (Gary Williams, Business Services Accounting)
skrev i meddelelsen <6i4utp$dj8$1...@news.cudenver.edu>:
>Got one I can use to keep track of how many r's, how many f's in
>sheriff/sherrif/sherriff?
>
>Gary Williams
The same number of r's as in your first name; a doubled f to match the
doubles l in your last name.
Feeble, but the best I can do.
--
My reply address is correct as is. The courtesy of providing a correct
reply address is more important to me than time spent deleting spam.
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
http://www.concentric.net/%7eBrownsta/
Donna Richoux
Gary Williams, Business Services Accounting <will...@ahecas.AHEC.EDU>
wrote:
[snip discussion of mnemonics]
>
> Got one I can use to keep track of how many r's, how many f's in
> sheriff/sherrif/sherriff?
Well, after a few minutes' thought, I come up with two possibilities.
1. Sheriffs collect tariffs.
This only works if "tariff" is no problem for you.
2. She riffed the sheriff.
I like the simplicity of this. It has to have one r, it has to have two
f's. Problem is, I don't know if it means anything at all. The Pocket
Dictionary of American Slang says one meaning of "riff" is the noun
"exaggerated. insincere talk" so perhaps that can be verbed,
transitively.
(Registration with the Mnemonic Royalty Collecting Association is
pending.)
Best --- Donna Richoux
Mike Barnes
In alt.usage.english, Gary Williams, Business Services Accounting
<will...@ahecas.AHEC.EDU> spake thuswise:
>Got one I can use to keep track of how many r's, how many f's in
>sheriff/sherrif/sherriff?
You might try visualising a woman wearing a star on her chest and
playing a guitar (she-riff).
--
-- Mike Barnes, Stockport, England.
-- If you post a response to Usenet, please *don't* send me a copy by e-mail.
Gary Williams, Business Services Accounting
In article <1d88nx5.gcr...@p015.hlm.euronet.nl>, tr...@euronet.nl
(Donna Richoux) writes:
>1. Sheriffs collect tariffs.
>This only works if "tariff" is no problem for you.
Well, it wasn't until now; but I fear I would start misspelling "tariff" to
agree with my misspelling of "sheriff".
>2. She riffed the sheriff.
>I like the simplicity of this. It has to have one r, it has to have two
>f's. Problem is, I don't know if it means anything at all.
Not a problem. In fact, all I need to remember is that "sheriff" is like
"riff".
>(Registration with the Mnemonic Royalty Collecting Association is
>pending.)
I suppose the royalty is collected with each use.
Before deciding finally, I must also consider the other mnemonics that have
been offered: the one about Cher, and Stan Brown's suggestion that I take
advantage of the fact that as I spell it, there is only one "r" in Gary. Since
I do know that one consonant is doubled, one not, this will work; but my final
decision will await your sealed bids on the royalty amount.
This whole thing has been an embarrassment to one who was spelling champion of
Mark Twain School, and then, when all the local champions were gathered for an
exhibition bee prior to the district match, in front of a civic club, was given
"sheriff" as his first word, and was eliminated without having spelled a single
word correctly.
I am hopeful that the fine help of a.u.e. will vastly improve my social life;
no longer will I sit paralyzed when social correspondence must be undertaken,
terrified that the note will require reference to the chief law enforcement
officer of a county.
Now, to depart from autobiography and ask an a.u.e. question: part of my
confusion has been due to an awareness that "sheriff" is derived from "shire
reeve". Is that supposition true, and, if so, why does the collapsing of the
two words into one not produce a doubled "r"?
Gary Williams
WILL...@AHEC.EDU
Lee Rudolph
tr...@euronet.nl (Donna Richoux) writes:
>2. She riffed the sheriff.
>I like the simplicity of this. It has to have one r, it has to have two
>f's. Problem is, I don't know if it means anything at all. The Pocket
>Dictionary of American Slang says one meaning of "riff" is the noun
>"exaggerated. insincere talk" so perhaps that can be verbed,
>transitively.
Less simple, and not memorable if you aren't familar with the
pop song refered to--but good enough for me:
"She played a riff on `I Shot the Sheriff'."
Lee Rudolph
Donna Richoux
> In article <1d88nx5.gcr...@p015.hlm.euronet.nl>, tr...@euronet.nl
> (Donna Richoux) writes:
> >(Registration with the Mnemonic Royalty Collecting Association is
> >pending.)
>
> I suppose the royalty is collected with each use.
Don't worry, they usually forget to collect. Or maybe it's that they
have a hard time remembering to pay me --- I forget which way it is.
Best --- Donna Richoux