Usage of "older man"
Fiance
I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
"Portrait of the artist as an older man".
Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases when
there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older" than who?
Is "quite old" implied here?
Troy Steadman
Not neccessarily. The use of "older" implies merely that there is a
"younger" version.
I am in search of a "longer" life in a "better" place with a "finer"
set of rules. You can't draw any conclusions from that about my current
lifestyle.
Per Rønne
When talking age, a "younger man" is older than a "young man", and an
"older man" is younger than an "old man".
At least that is how it works in Danish - I think it works the same way
in English. A young man [or boy] is in his 20s, a younger man in his
30s, and a boy no more:-).
> Is "quite old" implied here?
--
Per Erik Rønne
http://www.RQNNE.dk
Don Aitken
It's a literary reference. There is an implied comparison with a whole
group of similar titles, beginning with the original "Portrait of the
artist as a young man", and including, among numerous others,
"Portrait of the artist as a young dog".
--
Don Aitken
Mail to the From: address is not read.
To email me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com"
J. J. Lodder
Bob Cunningham
Rønne) said:
> Fiance <rentg...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Hello,
> > I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
> > "Portrait of the artist as an older man".
> > Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases when
> > there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older" than who?
> When talking age, a "younger man" is older than a "young man", and an
> "older man" is younger than an "old man".
> At least that is how it works in Danish - I think it works the same way
> in English. A young man [or boy] is in his 20s, a younger man in his
> 30s, and a boy no more:-).
I think it can be taken that way in English, but I think
it's also true that "older people" is merely a kinder way of
referring to old people.
Google gets about 25 million hits on "older people" (only :)
6.5 million on "younger people"). In reading several of the
abstracts, I get the impression that the writers are really
referring to old people but want to avoid the dismissive
sound of "old people".
> > Is "quite old" implied here?
In a sense of the word "opposite", "older" can be the
opposite of "quite old". To say someone is older can mean
that they are not as young as a lot of people but are still
functioning pretty much as they did when they were younger.
To say someone is old can hint at seriously debilitative
ailments, physical and mental.
--
Bob Cunningham, Southern California, USA
I've been young and I've been old; young is better.
-- Woody Wordpecker
(Paraphrasing Sophie Tucker)
Salvatore Volatile
> At least that is how it works in Danish - I think it works the same way
> in English. A young man [or boy] is in his 20s, a younger man in his
> 30s, and a boy no more:-).
It is apparent from your writings here that the Danish conception of "boy"
(or whatever the closest Danish equivalent is) is much broader in scope
than the English one. It seems to me that any Danish man who wears
shorts or, of course, Danskin garments is a "boy" -- and that's all
Danish men, regardless of age, other than those sent to the gulag for
wearing "longs" (I understand that more lenient sentences are handed down
for Danish men who wear breeches, reflecting favorable Danish attitudes
towards 18th-century fashions).
Women might be more likely to call men (or at least younger men) "boys"
in particular contexts, but I don't think it's a usage that men engage
in, for the most part, with a few special and increasingly-outmoded
exceptions. My advice is, if speaking American English (different rules
apply to BrE, although I see no evidence that "boy" is used more
frequently in BrE to mean "man younger than 30"), use "guy" as the
informal term for an adult male.
--
Salvatore Volatile
Per Rønne
> On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 10:18:00 +0200, p...@RQNNE.invalid (Per
> Rønne) said:
> > When talking age, a "younger man" is older than a "young man", and an
> > "older man" is younger than an "old man".
>
> > At least that is how it works in Danish - I think it works the same way
> > in English. A young man [or boy] is in his 20s, a younger man in his
> > 30s, and a boy no more:-).
>
> I think it can be taken that way in English, but I think
> it's also true that "older people" is merely a kinder way of
> referring to old people.
>
> Google gets about 25 million hits on "older people" (only :)
> 6.5 million on "younger people"). In reading several of the
> abstracts, I get the impression that the writers are really
> referring to old people but want to avoid the dismissive
> sound of "old people".
You're right.
uraniumc...@yahoo.com
An 'older man' is a man older than about 45 or so, especially in the
context of sexual relationships with a woman under about 25 or so. A
'younger woman' is someone who marries or is the girlfriend of a much
older man.
When we say this especially of a man who marries late in life to a much
younger woman. I had a great uncle who remarried late in life to a
woman more than 20 years his junior. I had an uncle who married at 43,
but his wife was not so very young (I think she was about 32 or so.).
Per Rønne
The use of 'boy' vs 'man' [or 'dreng' vs 'mand'] is exactly the same in
Danish as it is in English which means that there are individual as well
as group differences in use. Well, even differences in individual use in
different situations.
And I don't think the trouser length in Denmark differs in any way from
the trouser lengths worn in the Anglo-Saxon world. They simply follow
the international fashion trends, and the weather conditions.
But I do know one difference. In Denmark, schoolboys weren't forced to
wear short trousers all year with their school uniforms. Because we
didn't wear school uniforms. I guess this is why you take such an
interest in the length of our trousers.
Steve Hayes
Older than the prtrait of the atrist as a young man.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Don Phillipson
news:1145259385.8...@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
>
> "Portrait of the artist as an older man".
>
> Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases when
> there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older" than who?
1. This cliche of popular speech seems to come from
catalogues of pictures, probably in the 18th century.
Few ancient pictures offered for sale or exhibited in
picture galleries have official or correct titles (e.g. the
name Mona Lisa became attached to Leonardo's picture
a century after the portrait was painted.) Before
photography, printed catalogues of pictures for sale
had to describe the pictures in words so that sellers
and buyers could identify them unambiiguously. Thus
the many self-portraits of Rembrandt acquired names,
e.g. "portrait of the artist as a young man," "portrait
of the artist in middle age," "portrait of the artist as
an old man" and so on.
2. Piicture titles were adopted in modern times as
titles for books, e.g. James Joyce, Portrait of the
Artist as a Young Man, Dylan Thomas, Portrait of
the Artist as a Young Dog, and so on.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
Bob Cunningham
<j...@NOSPAMmarage.demon.co.uk> said:
> X-No-Archive: yes
> In message <vt07425rbhfk60k4d...@4ax.com>, Bob Cunningham
> <exw...@earthlink.net> writes
> >To say someone is old can hint at seriously debilitative
> >ailments, physical and mental.
> Where on earth have you got that strange idea from? Just because we're
> called crumblies doesn't mean that we are! It's a term of endearment.
> Once a year I get invited to an old boys' reunion.
If you have a dictionary, you might look for a definition of
"can". If you don't know how to use a dictionary, maybe one
of the older children can help you.
Will
It's logically inconsistent. When I were a nipper (aged 12) I was
entered for a scholarship exam to an English Public School (translation
- an English private (i.e. fee-paying) school allowed prospective
pupils (ModE "students") to take an examination. The winners (or,
rather, their parents) would be entitled to a reduction in the school
fees.)
One of the mathematics papers was a Logic exam. One of the questions
was:
"What is wrong with this sentence:
Kit-e-Kat is 50% better for your cat".
> Is "quite old" implied here?
Yes. An older man is often a man who has seen something of the world,
who has an insight into how the world operates. Maybe he knows what a
woman wants - no, it's not a vodka and Red Bull. An older man will
often compensate in skill what he lacks in stamina.
Which is a generalisation, considering that I did my usual 18 mile
Sunday run on Cleeve Hill at my usual speed, and I'm 49, which I think
qualifies me as an "older man". Well, I'm older than my brothers.
Though not as old as Bob Cunningham.
Will.
Maria Conlon
> Fiance wrote:
>
>> I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
>>
>> "Portrait of the artist as an older man".
>>
>> Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases when
>> there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older" than who?
>>
>> Is "quite old" implied here?
>
> Older than the prtrait of the atrist as a young man.
Not if the portrait is of the same artist, surely.
--
Maria Conlon
http://www.familyhomefront.net/
Laura F. Spira
You're a younger man from where I am, although I'd have to be a bit
older to consider you a toy boy, I think.
And I'm always impressed by people who can remember exam *questions*
from their youth. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to remember my GCE O
level *results* the other day.
--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
Jeffrey Turner
> "Fiance" <rentg...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
>>
>>"Portrait of the artist as an older man".
>>
>>Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases when
>>there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older" than who?
>
>
> 1. This cliche of popular speech seems to come from
> catalogues of pictures, probably in the 18th century.
> Few ancient pictures offered for sale or exhibited in
> picture galleries have official or correct titles (e.g. the
> name Mona Lisa became attached to Leonardo's picture
> a century after the portrait was painted.) Before
> photography, printed catalogues of pictures for sale
> had to describe the pictures in words so that sellers
> and buyers could identify them unambiiguously. Thus
> the many self-portraits of Rembrandt acquired names,
> e.g. "portrait of the artist as a young man," "portrait
> of the artist in middle age," "portrait of the artist as
> an old man" and so on.
>
> 2. Piicture titles were adopted in modern times as
> titles for books, e.g. James Joyce, Portrait of the
> Artist as a Young Man, Dylan Thomas, Portrait of
> the Artist as a Young Dog, and so on.
If you've got a "Portrait of a Dog as a Young Artist" you could
hang it next to a print of dogs playing poker (on black velvet,
natch).
--Jeff
--
War, at first, is the hope that one will
be better off; next, the expectation that
the other fellow will be worse off; then,
the satisfaction that he isn't any better
off; and, finally, the surprise at everyone's
being worse off. -Karl Kraus
Eric Schwartz
> You're a younger man from where I am, although I'd have to be a bit
> older to consider you a toy boy, I think.
"boy toy", shirley?
-=Eric
Paul Wolff
<la...@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> writes
>
>You're a younger man from where I am, although I'd have to be a bit
>older to consider you a toy boy, I think.
>
>And I'm always impressed by people who can remember exam *questions*
>from their youth. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to remember my GCE O
>level *results* the other day.
>
of Sir Robert Walpole?" in March 1957, but that's because my mother kept
my exam papers for that term (I was probably developing swottish
tendencies at the time, and had brought them home at the end of term for
a good holiday read). Anxious not to miss any marks, I got off to a
good start by writing "I think that Sir Robert Walpole ..." and then
tailed off a little, but managed a resounding 18 marks in all.
The geography paper commented that extra marks would be given for maps.
This heavy hint was useful for question 2 which began: "Draw a sketch
map of EITHER Central Lowlands of Scotland OR Yorkshire OR
Northumberland and Durham", and my answer didn't digress into the
propriety of either...or...or. I seem to have chosen the third
alternative, for 15 marks, though I messed up on industry along the
Tees.
I don't think "older man" came into it at all. But even negative
evidence can be useful. Sometimes.
--
Paul
In bocca al Lupo!
Donna Richoux
Pondal, I think. If we could nail it down, it should probably go into
the website somewhere, because I see that discussion, as measured by
posts containing both phrases, occurred in: 2005, 2002, 2000, and 1998.
--
Best - Donna Richoux
Robert Bannister
> And I'm always impressed by people who can remember exam *questions*
> from their youth. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to remember my GCE O
> level *results* the other day.
Somewhere amongst the junk, I have a copy of an A-Level French paper.
From the year, it must be one I took myself, but I don't recognise any
of it. Since, in my day, O-Levels were only letter grades, I don't
remember those. However, in the case of French, which I went on to do as
a subsidiary at university and later to teach at A-Level, the Headmaster
called me in to inform me I had only got 51%. That did stick in my mind.
--
Rob Bannister
Peter Moylan
> Salvatore Volatile <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> I guess this is why you take such an interest in the length of our
> trousers.
Some men are fascinated by short skirts, and others are fascinated by
short trousers. So it goes.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Please note the changed e-mail and web addresses. The domain
eepjm.newcastle.edu.au no longer exists, and I can no longer
reliably receive mail at my newcastle.edu.au addresses.
The optusnet address still has about 4 months of life left.
Peter Moylan
Many respondents have given answers that rely on an assumed cultural
background. (For example, the way art curators distinguish a series of
paintings in a collection.) Without that context - that is, ignoring
the history and looking upon the sentence purely as an English usage
example - I can see only one sensible interpretation: this portrait is
the artist's prediction of what he would look like when he was older than
his age at the time the portrait was done.
Per Rønne
> Per Rřnne wrote:
> > Salvatore Volatile <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>
> > I guess this is why you take such an interest in the length of our
> > trousers.
>
> Some men are fascinated by short skirts, and others are fascinated by
> short trousers. So it goes.
:-).
--
Per Erik Rřnne
http://www.RQNNE.dk
Steve Hayes
wrote:
Why not?
There he is as a young man, and there he is as an older man.
Maria Conlon
> Maria Conlon wrote:
>> Steve Hayes wrote:
>>> Fiance wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm curious about the usage of comparatives in the following way:
>>>>
>>>> "Portrait of the artist as an older man".
>>>>
>>>> Is it correct English? How can a comparative be used in phrases
>>>> when there is no word to draw a comparison on? That is, "older"
>>>> than who?
>>>>
>>>> Is "quite old" implied here?
>>>
>>> Older than the prtrait of the atrist as a young man.
>>
>> Not if the portrait is of the same artist, surely.
>
> Why not?
>
> There he is as a young man, and there he is as an older man.
I was looking at it this way: If the artist was painted when he was a
young man, then painted again when he was an older man, which painting
would be older?
--
Maria
Per Rønne
> I was looking at it this way: If the artist was painted when he was a
> young man, then painted again when he was an older man, which painting
> would be older?
The older painting would depict the artist as a young man, the younger
as an older man:-).
Fiance
seems native speakers have different opinions as well :)
The most convincing opinion is, to my mind, Bob Cunningham's and Per
Roenne's: an "older man" is "aged, elderly, not very old, quite old".
It may be used to refer to old people without any shade of derogation.
Stephen Calder
I would agree with that summary.
--
Stephen
Lennox Head, Australia
Maria Conlon
> Maria Conlon wrote:
>
>> I was looking at it this way: If the artist was painted when he was a
>> young man, then painted again when he was an older man, which
>> painting would be older?
>
> The older painting would depict the artist as a young man, the younger
> as an older man:-).
Exactly. Thank you.
Al in Dallas
<mari...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>"Per Rønne" wrote:
>> Maria Conlon wrote:
>>
>>> I was looking at it this way: If the artist was painted when he was a
>>> young man, then painted again when he was an older man, which
>>> painting would be older?
>>
>> The older painting would depict the artist as a young man, the younger
>> as an older man:-).
>
>Exactly. Thank you.
He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
--
Al in St. Lou
Father Ignatius
Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> typed:
> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
That would be a Master bait, innit.
--
Nat
"If she don't work out for a life's companion we can always eat her or
something." --Ken Kesey, /Sailor Song/
Maria Conlon
> Maria Conlon wrote:
>> "Per Rřnne" wrote:
>>> Maria Conlon wrote:
>>>
>>>> I was looking at it this way: If the artist was painted when he
>>>> was a young man, then painted again when he was an older man, which
>>>> painting would be older?
>>>
>>> The older painting would depict the artist as a young man, the
>>> younger as an older man:-).
>>
>> Exactly. Thank you.
>
> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
So far, though, it hasn't worked. No Rey yet.
--
Maria
Per Rønne
Certainly not.
BTW, who's Rey?
Al in Dallas
wrote:
>Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
[snip]
>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>
>Certainly not.
>
>BTW, who's Rey?
Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
pointing out idiotic behavior. I assume that Steve's multitudinous
errors can't be accidental, and therefore, he's purposely baiting Dr.
Aman. I wasn't accusing you of anything, Per.
Tony Cooper
<alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 06:08:46 +0200, p...@RQNNE.invalid (Per Rønne)
>wrote:
>>Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>[snip]
>
>>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>>
>>Certainly not.
>>
>>BTW, who's Rey?
>
>Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
>pointing out idiotic behavior. I assume that Steve's multitudinous
>errors can't be accidental, and therefore, he's purposely baiting Dr.
>Aman. I wasn't accusing you of anything, Per.
There will be no n to this thread now.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
Laura F. Spira
*applause*
Peter Duncanson
wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 06:08:46 +0200, p...@RQNNE.invalid (Per Rønne)
>wrote:
>>Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>[snip]
>
>>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>>
>>Certainly not.
>>
>>BTW, who's Rey?
>
>Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
>pointing out idiotic behavior.
Rey customarily spells his name Reinhold.
I hope he won't consider your variant spelling to be idiotic behavior.
>I assume that Steve's multitudinous
>errors can't be accidental, and therefore, he's purposely baiting Dr.
>Aman. I wasn't accusing you of anything, Per.
--
Peter Duncanson
UK (posting from a.u.e)
Al in Dallas
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:35:26 -0500, Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 06:08:46 +0200, p...@RQNNE.invalid (Per Rønne)
>>wrote:
>>>Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>[snip]
>>
>>>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>>>
>>>Certainly not.
>>>
>>>BTW, who's Rey?
>>
>>Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
>>pointing out idiotic behavior.
>
>Rey customarily spells his name Reinhold.
>
>I hope he won't consider your variant spelling to be idiotic behavior.
I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always respond
to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would give herself
twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for idiotic?
Tony Cooper
<alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 16:07:36 +0100, Peter Duncanson
><ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:35:26 -0500, Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 06:08:46 +0200, p...@RQNNE.invalid (Per Rønne)
>>>wrote:
>>>>Al in Dallas <alfar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>[snip]
>>>
>>>>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>>>>
>>>>Certainly not.
>>>>
>>>>BTW, who's Rey?
>>>
>>>Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
>>>pointing out idiotic behavior.
>>
>>Rey customarily spells his name Reinhold.
>>
>>I hope he won't consider your variant spelling to be idiotic behavior.
>
>I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always respond
>to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would give herself
>twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for idiotic?
Wake up and smell the coffee. Eppie died in 2002...hardly someone you
need to be old to remember.
Per Rønne
> Rey customarily spells his name Reinhold.
And I thought of the /Raj/ :-).
Skitt
> Al in Dallas wrote:
>> (Per Rřnne) wrote:
>>> Al in Dallas wrote:
>>>> He was just trying to bait Rey, Maria.
>>>
>>> Certainly not.
>>>
>>> BTW, who's Rey?
>>
>> Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
>> pointing out idiotic behavior. I assume that Steve's multitudinous
>> errors can't be accidental, and therefore, he's purposely baiting Dr.
>> Aman. I wasn't accusing you of anything, Per.
>
> There will be no n to this thread now.
Well, take the first h, chop off its top, and move it to just ahead of the
second h. N.
--
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
http://www.geocities.com/opus731/
Reinhold (Rey) Aman
> Per Rønne wrote:
> > BTW, who's Rey?
> Professor Doctor Rheihold Aman, who seems to have a passion for
> pointing out idiotic behavior. I assume that Steve's multitudinous
> errors can't be accidental, and therefore, he's purposely baiting
> Dr. Aman.
Wrong, Alberto. That fuckin' village idiot Hayes's multitudinous errors
are neither accidental nor baiting but *congenital*, as in idiocy.
He claimed that he doesn't read many of my posts because I'm a "troll,"
so baiting can't be the reason for his sloppiness. He's just a totally
inconsiderate fat stupid motherfucker who sits all day long in front of
his computer, cross-posts wildly, never proofreads the shit he posts,
and asks the most *stupid* questions anyone has ever asked in AUE.
He could easily find the answers to his assholey questions by paying
attention or by a quick Google check, but that lazy bastard Hayes
*exploits* the kindness of AUE readers who, inexplicably, keep answering
his moronic questions and spoon-feed that Louth-African bag of shit.
The most recent proof of his congenital idiocy was his inability to use
the _OED_ search box. Ka-RIST! Inexplicably, dour but motherly Donna
actually wasted her time by showing that stupid motherfucker -- baby
step by baby step -- how to type a word into the search box.
Want more proof of Hayes's idiocy?
On April 14, he bitched: "The problem is that often someone starts yet
another thread by omitting the "was...." section, so there are two
threads on the same topic, and I can never remember which one I read
something in."
This from that inconsiderate *arch-arsehole Hayes* who *frequently*
changes the subject line without using the customary "[Was: ]"
change-indicator. Ka-RIST! Have I mentioned his congenital idiocy?
It's very Christian and white of you RRs to give that fuckin' imbecile
Hayes the benefit of doubt and to answer every of his idiotic questions,
but are there no limits to your patience, whiteness, and Christian
goodness? No, he doesn't bait; and no, he isn't witty: Steven Hayes is
a peerless, full-fledged village idiot. Period.
If the one-eyed is king in the land of the blind, can you imagine what
that deacon's congregation is like? They all just *have* to be
mouth-breathing morons. If there were just two or three members of his
fellow Christians blessed with an IQ above room temperature (78 F), they
would surely drag that embarrassing fat fuck Hayes down to the nearest
river and throw him to the crocodiles to have him ripped to shreds.
That stupid motherfucker Hayes is dumber than a microcephalic springbok,
so y'all stop making excuses for him. With Christian deacons like that
super-arsehole Hayes around, it's no wonder Jews make fun of the stupid goyim.
~~~ Rey ~~~
You can call me Rheihold, Al.
Al in Dallas
<am...@sonic.net> wrote:
[snip]
Whatever deep psychological problem I suffer, it allows or causes me
to be amused by what I've just snipped. I assume it's a psychological
problem because whenever I've printed out Rey's posts and shown them
to women, the women have always responding by asking me why I waste
time reading posts from such an angry man. I've lost count of how many
times I've been told, "Gee, he sounds like my ex!" I guess I'll keep
on reading and enjoying, but I'll remember not to share. Gee, just
like the Three Stooges movies.
>~~~ Rey ~~~
>You can call me Rheihold, Al.
I do regret screwing up your name, sorry. I'm just glad I hadn't
spelled it "Rhinehold." I believe that the river is part of a mnemonic
device I use.
Peter Moylan
> I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always respond
> to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would give herself
> twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for idiotic?
Then who invented twenty lashes with a net.woodle? I believe I saw that
first on aue.
Al in Dallas
<pe...@DIESPAMMERSozebelg.org> wrote:
>Al in Dallas wrote:
>
>> I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always respond
>> to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would give herself
>> twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for idiotic?
>
>Then who invented twenty lashes with a net.woodle? I believe I saw that
>first on aue.
Couldn't have been truly. She was wittier than that.
Reinhold (Rey) Aman
> Reinhold (Rey) Aman wrote:
> [snip]
> Whatever deep psychological problem I suffer, it allows
> or causes me to be amused by what I've just snipped.
That's called "vicarious enjoyment." Nothing wrong with that, Al.
> I assume it's a psychological problem because
> whenever I've printed out Rey's posts and shown them
> to women, the women have always responding by asking me
> why I waste time reading posts from such an angry man.
Use my "angry" posts as a litmus test to separate cool chicks from
"sensitive" broads. You see, those females (and males) who appreciate
my aggressive writings are cool; those who object to them aren't worth
your time and should be dumped at once.
Uncool, "sensitive" wimmen are nothing but trouble, Al. Trust me. They
are the grudge-bearing kind who'll never forgive you if you forgot their
stupid birthdays or some silly anniversaries, who'll constantly whine
about their infantile "needs" and like vampires suck you emotionally
dry, and who'll -- wearing latex gloves, of course -- disgustedly touch
your throbbing dick as if it were a stalk of poison ivy. Dump such
"sensitive" emotional cripples.
> I've lost count of how many times I've been told,
> "Gee, he sounds like my ex!" I guess I'll keep
> on reading and enjoying, but I'll remember not to share.
> Gee, just like the Three Stooges movies.
Listen to my advice, good man, and you'll be around a better class of
wimmen. You know, the kind who enthusiastically impale themselves on
your _cazzo_ and drop to their knees at the snap of your fingers to blow
you into a coma; the kind you can have post-coital chitchats with about
the meaning of life while gently tweaking their stiff nipples. My kind
of wimmen.
~~~ Rey ~~~
Wise beyond his age
R J Valentine
...
} ~~~ Rey ~~~
} Wise beyond his age
As if _breathing_ beyond his age weren't miracle enough.
But, speaking of 'Usage of "older man"', I've noticed more and more lately
that the word "gentleman" seems to be the term of choice for "old man"
around here, sometime with a pause [= PSOCE "comma"] before for emphasis.
When I'm standing somewhere and the person I'm talking to needs to call in
reinforcements -- be it on the telephone or over in the next cubicle --
I'm almost invariably described as "a gentleman", where it looks like
they're consciously trying to avoid "old man". It's not pejorative or
anything, because it's often while they're volunteering to do something to
help me out, but it's pretty clear they wouldn't bother with a younger
person.
Really old guys like Dr. Aman must have people falling all over themselves
trying to help him. It's no wonder he's such a busy fellow (to the point
that looking a word up in a dictionary all by himself could be a burden).
--
rjv
Evan Kirshenbaum
> Al in Dallas wrote:
>
>> I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always
>> respond to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would
>> give herself twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for
>> idiotic?
>
> Then who invented twenty lashes with a net.woodle? I believe I saw
> that first on aue.
Our very own Roger Lustig is the first to show up in the Google
archives with it, on rec.arts.books in May, 1991, using it here in
July of that year. You've used it twice here before this thread, in
1999 and 2000, and it was used one other time, in 1999, in
rec.games.miniatures.warhammer. That's it, other than someone who
used it (once) as a handle on a mailing list gatewayed to
info.jethro-tull in 1994.
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |I value writers such as Fiske.
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |They serve as valuable object
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |lessons by showing that the most
|punctilious compliance with the
kirsh...@hpl.hp.com |rules of usage has so little to do
(650)857-7572 |with either writing or thinking
|well.
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/ | --Richard Hershberger
Pat Durkin
"Evan Kirshenbaum" <kirsh...@hpl.hp.com> wrote in message
news:k69k9t...@hpl.hp.com...
> Peter Moylan <pe...@DIESPAMMERSozebelg.org> writes:
>
>> Al in Dallas wrote:
>>
>>> I'm old enough to remember Ann Landers, who seemed to always
>>> respond to letters pointing out her errors by claiming she would
>>> give herself twenty lashes with a wet noodle. How's that for
>>> idiotic?
>>
>> Then who invented twenty lashes with a net.woodle? I believe I saw
>> that first on aue.
>
> Our very own Roger Lustig is the first to show up in the Google
> archives with it, on rec.arts.books in May, 1991, using it here in
> July of that year. You've used it twice here before this thread, in
> 1999 and 2000, and it was used one other time, in 1999, in
> rec.games.miniatures.warhammer. That's it, other than someone who
> used it (once) as a handle on a mailing list gatewayed to
> info.jethro-tull in 1994.
That would serve for a "first" in Usenet, perhaps.
(Evan, are you talking about the "wet.woodle" or the "wet noodle?)
Can't someone find an earlier citation (for wet noodle)? I don't know
that Ann Landers "invented" the term, but I had long before 1991 stopped
reading her articles. My estimation is that I saw it in her columns at
least twice, back in the '70s.
>
>
Al in Dallas
wrote:
That's when I was reading her, while I was in high school.
Evan Kirshenbaum
> That would serve for a "first" in Usenet, perhaps.
> (Evan, are you talking about the "wet.woodle" or the "wet noodle?)
"net.woodle". "net.*" being a Usenetism, I suspect that it appeared
there first.
> Can't someone find an earlier citation (for wet noodle)? I don't know
> that Ann Landers "invented" the term, but I had long before 1991 stopped
> reading her articles. My estimation is that I saw it in her columns at
> least twice, back in the '70s.
The only mention I see of both "lashes" and "wet noodle" in the _LA
Times_ (which didn't carry Ann Landers), in their pre-1986 archive is
from 1966, in an article by Matt Weinstock:
Remember a recent item here about 120 cartons (1440 bottles) of
vermouth listed in a cargo manifest in the Daily Commercial News
as being destined for the Dept. of Water and Power? It was a
mistake, a typographical transposition. Now, editor Leighton Cook
reports he has ordered 40 lashes with a wet noodle for the
printshop gremlin responsible for it. [10/26/1966]
Wet noodles as a punishment device show up in the "Gumps"
comic strip on 2/17/1952:
A: Shall I give you six spanks with one hairbrush or would you
prefer one spank apiece with six hairbrushes?
B: Couldn't you use a wet noodle instead of a hairbrush, pop?
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |Never attempt to teach a pig to
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |sing; it wastes your time and
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |annoys the pig.
| Robert Heinlein
kirsh...@hpl.hp.com
(650)857-7572
Pat Durkin
> "Pat Durkin" <dur...@sbc.com> writes:
>> That would serve for a "first" in Usenet, perhaps.
>> (Evan, are you talking about the "wet.woodle" or the "wet noodle?)
>
> "net.woodle". "net.*" being a Usenetism, I suspect that it appeared
> there first.
>
>> Can't someone find an earlier citation (for wet noodle)? I don't
>> know
>> that Ann Landers "invented" the term, but I had long before 1991
>> stopped
>> reading her articles. My estimation is that I saw it in her columns
>> at
>> least twice, back in the '70s.
>
> The only mention I see of both "lashes" and "wet noodle" in the _LA
> Times_ (which didn't carry Ann Landers), in their pre-1986 archive is
> from 1966, in an article by Matt Weinstock:
>
> Remember a recent item here about 120 cartons (1440 bottles) of
> vermouth listed in a cargo manifest in the Daily Commercial News
> as being destined for the Dept. of Water and Power? It was a
> mistake, a typographical transposition. Now, editor Leighton Cook
> reports he has ordered 40 lashes with a wet noodle for the
> printshop gremlin responsible for it. [10/26/1966]
>
> Wet noodles as a punishment device show up in the "Gumps"
> comic strip on 2/17/1952:
>
> A: Shall I give you six spanks with one hairbrush or would you
> prefer one spank apiece with six hairbrushes?
>
> B: Couldn't you use a wet noodle instead of a hairbrush, pop?
Thanks for the search, Evan. Works for me.