difference
minimus
Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
John Kane
> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
Good question. I think so. I think that if you are speaking of more
than two things you would need to use the plural "differences".
Jeffrey Turner
> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
No.
A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
B: What's the difference?
--
The struggle with evil by means of violence
is the same as an attempt to stop a cloud,
in order that there may be no rain. -Leo Tolstoy
R H Draney
>
>
>Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
Interesting question...the "di" prefix would certain suggest that such is the
case, but then so would the embedded "two" in the word "between", and I'm told
that the latter is nothing but a relict now....r
--
Evelyn Wood just looks at the pictures.
Lars Eighner
<c4mdnVK5RrohrRfV...@posted.localnet>,
the lovely and talented Jeffrey Turner
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
> minimus wrote:
>> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
> No.
> A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
> B: What's the difference?
Obviously because it is the same difference.
--
Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> use...@larseighner.com
"Having been unpopular in high school is not just cause for book publications."
--Fran Lebowitz
jerry_f...@yahoo.com
> In our last episode,
> <c4mdnVK5RrohrRfVnZ2dnUVZ_vOdn...@posted.localnet>,
> the lovely and talented Jeffrey Turner
> broadcast on alt.usage.english:
>
> > minimus wrote:
> >> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
> > No.
> > A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
> > B: What's the difference?
>
> Obviously because it is the same difference.
I got to say that in a math class a few weeks ago, talking about 8 - 6
and -6 + 8.
--
Jerry Friedman
R H Draney
Roland Hutchinson
But the second case is a sum; in that case, there's no difference at all.
--
Roland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food.
NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to
remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it.
jerry_f...@yahoo.com
> jerry_fried...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > On Jul 25, 2:14 pm, Lars Eighner <use...@larseighner.com> wrote:
> >> In our last episode,
> >> <c4mdnVK5RrohrRfVnZ2dnUVZ_vOdn...@posted.localnet>,
> >> the lovely and talented Jeffrey Turner
> >> broadcast on alt.usage.english:
>
> >> > minimus wrote:
> >> >> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
> >> > No.
> >> > A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
> >> > B: What's the difference?
>
> >> Obviously because it is the same difference.
>
> > I got to say that in a math class a few weeks ago, talking about 8 - 6
> > and -6 + 8.
>
> But the second case is a sum; in that case, there's no difference at all.
You just said that to tempt me.
Anyway, these kids need to learn (I used the present tense
deliberately) that -6 + 8 is not -14 (or -15), not how to think of it
formally. "Okay, you owe somebody six dollars and somebody gives you
eight..."
--
Jerry Friedman
Unknown
On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:59:53 -0400, Jeffrey Turner posted:
>minimus wrote:
>
>> Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
>
>No.
>
>A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
>
>B: What's the difference?
But that's between two things. The things are not the three streets.
The question being asked is, rather, "does it matter"?
--
roses are #FF0000
violets are #0000FF
all my base
are belong to you
Jeffrey Turner
> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:59:53 -0400, Jeffrey Turner posted:
>>minimus wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
>>
>>No.
>>
>>A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
>>
>>B: What's the difference?
>
> But that's between two things. The things are not the three streets.
> The question being asked is, rather, "does it matter"?
Fair enough. Still, I wouldn't be put off to hear, "What's the
difference between a pistol, a handgun, and a six-shooter?" It's a
common sort of question. Technically, one might expect "What are the
differences..." but that calls for a more involved response in my way of
thinking.
Then again, First Street has all the potholes and you'd hit all the
lights on Main this time of day. Elm's a little longer trip, but it's
quite pleasant and scenic.
--Jeff
Unknown
On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:28:16 -0400, Jeffrey Turner posted:
>Oleg Lego wrote:
>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:59:53 -0400, Jeffrey Turner posted:
>>>minimus wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
>>>
>>>No.
>>>
>>>A: Did you come by Main Street, First or Elm?
>>>
>>>B: What's the difference?
>>
>> But that's between two things. The things are not the three streets.
>> The question being asked is, rather, "does it matter"?
>
>Fair enough. Still, I wouldn't be put off to hear, "What's the
>difference between a pistol, a handgun, and a six-shooter?"
I agree. I was not in disagreement; just pointing out that the
sentence could be parsed in a way that makes it acceptable to those
who think "difference" requires only two items to be compared or
contrasted.
> It's a
>common sort of question. Technically, one might expect "What are the
>differences..." but that calls for a more involved response in my way of
>thinking.
>
>Then again, First Street has all the potholes and you'd hit all the
>lights on Main this time of day. Elm's a little longer trip, but it's
>quite pleasant and scenic.
One thing about "difference" that presses my peeve button is when
someone says "the difference in <a> and <B>". A well-known country
song about 9-11 uses the form, and it really stands out when I hear
it.
"I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran"
John O'Flaherty
wrote:
>minimus filted:
>>
>>
>>Is 'difference' necesserily between 'two' things?
>
>Interesting question...the "di" prefix would certain suggest that such is the
>case, but then so would the embedded "two" in the word "between", and I'm told
>that the latter is nothing but a relict now....r
That "di-" is "dis-", apart or away, as in "dissimilar".
--
John