Path: g2news1.google.com!news2.google.com!proxad.net!fr.ip.ndsoftware.net!216.196.110.149.MISMATCH!border2.nntp.ams.giganews.com!border1.nntp.ams.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!news-in.ntli.net!newsrout1-win.ntli.net!ntli.net!newspeer1-win.ntli.net!newsfe1-gui.ntli.net.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,alt.english.usage Subject: Re: What metaphor am I trying to think of? From: Harvey Van Sickle References: Organization: I'd rather have more Message-ID: User-Agent: Xnews/05.08.12 X-Face: '>&C-Mf8!(W2*n\!eHURQ&3(oZkr`@&:ZJLFPZ)yj"+wz=lKS9dIA@j2[0UtrC^2NqXkdg4pqd Lines: 44 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 15:58:38 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 81.110.76.237 X-Trace: newsfe1-gui.ntli.net 1096300718 81.110.76.237 (Mon, 27 Sep 2004 16:58:38 BST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 16:58:38 BST On 27 Sep 2004, John Dean wrote > Harvey Van Sickle wrote: >>>>> What does one call a co-inhabitant which unintentionally >>>>> overwhelms its environment? -snip- >> In response to all three of you, I suppose "cuckooo in the nest" >> could be used, but it seems to stretch the concept for me: in my >> mind, it assumes malice aforethought on the part of the cuckoo >> (which isn't appropriate in the case I'm thinking of). >> Like Odysseus mentioned in his response, I have this vague >> feeling that there's a proverbial example which is just eluding >> me -- but maybe I'm just imagining that, and there isn't one... > I don't hink there's any malice on the cuckoo's part - just a > genetic imperative. > But I must apologise for not reading your original post more > carefully? Little Shop of Horrors? I like that. (Feed me. Feed me NOW!) > I had a thought to Google on "it just grew like a" and I got these > phrases: > -snip good examples- Many thanks; much food for thought there. I think I'll probably compare it to an invasive plant -- like a Russian vine, or Japanese knotweed. (As mentioned in another response, I'm describing the growth of Heathrow airport -- which in 1946 was thought to be containable.) -- Cheers, Harvey Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years; Southern England for the past 22 years. (for e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van)