Touch Typing
Kiyoharu Hatano
Hello from Japan,
A lot of English words have kept coming into Japanese. "Touch typing" is
one of them. Strangely enough, we have another way of saying this : "blind
touch"!!!
A friend of mine has the following questions. Could someone kindly answer
them?
1) How does "blind touch" sound to you? What sense does it make?
2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
Regards
Kiyoharu Hatano (h...@green.an.egg.or.jp>
Jonathan Mason
"Kiyoharu Hatano" <h...@green.an.egg.or.jp> wrote:
>Hello from Japan,
>
>A lot of English words have kept coming into Japanese. "Touch typing" is
>one of them. Strangely enough, we have another way of saying this : "blind
>touch"!!!
>
>A friend of mine has the following questions. Could someone kindly answer
>them?
>
>1) How does "blind touch" sound to you? What sense does it make?
>2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
> Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
>
2) Not necessarily, because the word blind had many meanings and uses in
English. One might shoot fowl from a "blind", be "blinded" by the light
on oncoming headlights, go on a "blind" date, close the venetian
"blinds", and so on. We also have a saying that Justice is "blind",
meaning it is impartial.
Donna Richoux
Kiyoharu Hatano <h...@green.an.egg.or.jp> wrote:
> A lot of English words have kept coming into Japanese. "Touch typing" is
> one of them. Strangely enough, we have another way of saying this :
> "blind touch"!!!
>
It is not an established phrase. It suggests to me something like
closing one's eyes and feeling with one's fingers.
> 2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
> Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
I can't think of any really negative uses of the word "blind," though
someone else may. When we say "Love is blind" or "Justice should be
blind," we are saying these as good things. Love and justice should go
beyond the mere outward appearances of things, like skin color or good
looks. Well, no, I guess some people say "Love is blind" when they mean
"She doesn't see his faults because she loves him so much" and so they
are really criticizing her, thinking she is stupid to ignore such
faults. But still I think it is a mild criticism, a helpless shrug, like
"True love, who can explain it?"
We can criticize someone by saying, "Are you blind?," but that's usually
pretty literal, "Can't you see what is right in front of you?" "Isn't it
obvious?"
I know that some people whose vision is bad prefer to be called
"partially sighted" than "partially blind." I not sure whether totally
blind people dislike the word and would rather be called something else.
There is a new-ish term "visually impaired" which is considered to be
nicer than "visually handicapped" but I'm not sure precisely how it's
used.
Best wishes --- Donna Richoux
Albert Marshall
Donna Richoux <tr...@euronet.nl> wrote
>Kiyoharu Hatano <h...@green.an.egg.or.jp> wrote:
>
<Snip>
>> 2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
>> Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
>
<Snip>
>
>I know that some people whose vision is bad prefer to be called
>"partially sighted" than "partially blind." I not sure whether totally
>blind people dislike the word and would rather be called something else.
>There is a new-ish term "visually impaired" which is considered to be
>nicer than "visually handicapped" but I'm not sure precisely how it's
>used.
>
My sister cannot tell night from day. She describes herself as "blind",
has a dog provided by "Guide Dogs for the Blind" (a major charity), and
gets other support from the "Royal National Institute for the Blind".
In Chatham we have the "Chatham Blind and Crippled Guild".
Maybe we're just more frank in the way we describe this sort of
problem.
--
Albert Marshall
Executive French
Language Training for Businesses in Kent
01634 400902
Albert Marshall
>one of them. Strangely enough, we have another way of saying this : "blind
>touch"!!!
>
>them?
>
The way you handle things in total darkness. (I'm a photographer from
way back.)
>2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
> Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
Not particularly, in its literal sense, but it occurs in a few phrases
with negative connotations:
"Rob someone blind" - steal, often by a confidence trick.
"Blind date" - a date with the friend of a friend - often a less than
attractive person.
"Effing and blinding" - swearing, cursing ("effing" means saying "fuck",
but "blinding" in this context is a mystery to me)
Mark Brader
> 2) Not necessarily, because the word blind had many meanings and uses in
> English. One might shoot fowl from a "blind", be "blinded" by the light
This particular expression strikes me as exaggerated to the point of error,
though I believe it's usual in British English. As far as I'm concerned,
if someone has been "blinded", then their vision isn't going to be recover-
ing any time soon, and maybe not at all. What happens when you look at
oncoming headlights is that you are *dazzled*, not blinded.
(Similarly, if you touch a live wire and survive, I say that you have been
*shocked*; it seems to be common in Britain to say "electrocuted", which
to me implies a fatal shock.)
> go on a "blind" date, close the venetian "blinds", and so on.
One of Isaac Asimov's "Black Widowers" short mysteries featured a murder
victim who spoke the marvelously ambiguous dying clue "The blind man".
I've given it away by mentioning it in this context, so I may as well be
explicit: the victim meant that the killer was disguised as someone who
installed or repaired venetian blinds.
> We also have a saying that Justice is "blind", meaning it is impartial.
Thus leading to statues where a figure representing Justice is blindfolded.
Speaking of blindness, there's a subthread on Braille books over in
rec.puzzles just now.
--
Mark Brader, m...@sq.com | "Anyone who can handle a needle convincingly can make
SoftQuad Inc., Toronto | us see a thread which is not there." --E.H. Gombrich
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Mike Ford
>"Effing and blinding" - swearing, cursing ("effing" means saying "fuck",
>but "blinding" in this context is a mystery to me)
I was always led to believe it means saying "bloody".
----
Mike Ford m...@mcgoff.karoo.co.uk
Leeds, UK
O.Det
[some snipping done]
> > 2) Not necessarily, because the word blind had many meanings and uses in
> > English. One might shoot fowl from a "blind", be "blinded" by the light
> > [of] oncoming headlights,
> > go on a "blind" date, close the venetian "blinds", and so on.
> > We also have a saying that Justice is "blind", meaning it is impartial.
After we bought our new house in the woods, my wife told me she'd been
shopping for blinds. When I asked her "why?" (because I thought we'd
agreed to take care of some structural problems before we began
decorating), she replied "so I can hide in the yard and shoot birds..."
I always thought that was pretty damned funny...
O.Det
David Carson wrote:
[snip]
> P.S. The correct spelling of "Kiyoharu Hatano," according to my newsreader's
> spelling checker, is "Kilohertz Havana."
My word-processor spell-checker says that the correct spelling of
the word "coworker" is "cowpoke".
...Now I just refer to them as "my cowpokes"; they don't seem to
object.
Lee Lester
>"Effing and blinding" - swearing, cursing ("effing" means saying
"fuck",
MF>I was always led to believe it means saying "bloody".
Could it come from the old expression 'Good Lord, blind me,' which
evolved into 'Cor blimey'?
lee lester
Maureen Goldman
av...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Judith Puddy) wrote:
> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
> "damned" in this case?
I've never heard that expression.
---
Maureen Goldman
To reply, please remove {nospam] from address
Larry Krakauer
Judith Puddy wrote:
> Maureen Goldman (inkslinger@{NOSPAM}sunshine.net) writes:
> >> 2) The word "blind" often implies negative or discriminatory meaning in
> >> Japanese. Is this the case in your language, too?
> > This is more difficult to answer. If someone has not realized a fact
> > that is obvious to others, then that person is sometimes described as
> > "blind". Often this means that the person does not want to "see" the
> > painful truth.
> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
> "damned" in this case?
Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
Where are you from and where did you hear it?
It seems to me that I've also, from time to time, assumed
that some expression was widely used, when it turned out to
be a regionalism, or even more local than that (used only in
one family, for instance).
--
Larry Krakauer (lar...@kronos.com)
K. Edgcombe
In article <33B138...@kronos.com>,
Larry Krakauer <lar...@kronos.com> wrote:
>
>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>> "damned" in this case?
>
>Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
>
>Where are you from and where did you hear it?
>
>It seems to me that I've also, from time to time, assumed
>that some expression was widely used, when it turned out to
>be a regionalism, or even more local than that (used only in
>one family, for instance).
It's very common in British English.
I have from time to time assumed that some expression was a regionalism, or
even more local than that (used only in one family, for instance), when it
turned out to be widely used.
Katy
Hugh_P_Scott
> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for "damned" in this case?
>
The phrase is common in the UK. My interpretation is that you can't see
the difference, so 'blind' has been transfered from you to the
difference, if you 'see' what I mean.
Being able to 'do something blind' is a compliment.
--
The opinions expressed in this communication are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer!!
Peter Hesketh
>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>> "damned" in this case?
>
>
>Where are you from and where did you hear it?
>
>It seems to me that I've also, from time to time, assumed
>that some expression was widely used, when it turned out to
>be a regionalism, or even more local than that (used only in
>one family, for instance).
My mother, my son and I all use it. Mother and I were born in Cheshire
UK, son born in South Wales UK.
--
Peter Hesketh, Mynyddbach, Monmouthshire, England
Albert Marshall
Peter Hesketh wrote
>Larry Krakauer writes
>>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>>> "damned" in this case?
>>
>>Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
>>
>>Where are you from and where did you hear it?
>>
>
>My mother, my son and I all use it. Mother and I were born in Cheshire
>UK, son born in South Wales UK.
--
Albert Marshall
S.E. England
Mike Barnes
In alt.usage.english, Larry Krakauer <lar...@kronos.com> spake thuswise:
>Judith Puddy wrote:
>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>> "damned" in this case?
>
>Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
It's commonplace here.
>It seems to me that I've also, from time to time, assumed
>that some expression was widely used, when it turned out to
>be a regionalism, or even more local than that (used only in
>one family, for instance).
Same here - but not in this case, I'm sure. The expression is in common
use in Britain. It might be regarded as non-PC, I suppose.
--
-- Mike Barnes, Stockport, England.
-- If you post a response to Usenet, please *don't* send me a copy by e-mail.
Anandashankar Mazumdar
On Wed, 25 Jun 1997, Albert Marshall wrote:
> >Larry Krakauer writes
> >>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
> >>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
> >>> "damned" in this case?
> >>Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
> >>
> >>Where are you from and where did you hear it?
> >>
> <Snip>
> >
> >My mother, my son and I all use it. Mother and I were born in Cheshire
> >UK, son born in South Wales UK.
> Very widespread in the Home Counties.
For us 'Murrkins, please: Which counties are the Home Counties?
Are they the ones under the authority of the Home Secretary?
William R. Ward
Mike Barnes <mi...@exodus.co.uk> writes:
> In alt.usage.english, Larry Krakauer <lar...@kronos.com> spake thuswise:
> >Judith Puddy wrote:
> >> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
> >> "damned" in this case?
> >
> >Who knows, since I've never heard that expression in my life.
>
>
> >It seems to me that I've also, from time to time, assumed
> >that some expression was widely used, when it turned out to
> >be a regionalism, or even more local than that (used only in
> >one family, for instance).
>
> Same here - but not in this case, I'm sure. The expression is in common
> use in Britain. It might be regarded as non-PC, I suppose.
Hmm. Perhaps it's non-PC (discriminatory against sinners) to use
"damned" instead, as well?
I suspect this use of "blind" is analgous to "damned" -- both are
things that one would not like to have happen to oneself.... and thus
they are used to curse the "bit of difference".
--Bill.
--
William R Ward Bay View Consulting http://www.bayview.com/~hermit/
her...@bayview.com 1803 Mission St. #339 voicemail +1 408/479-4072
her...@cats.ucsc.edu Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA pager +1 408/458-8862
Albert Marshall
Anandashankar Mazumdar <mazu...@shell.nicom.com> wrote
>On Wed, 25 Jun 1997, Albert Marshall wrote:
>
>> >>> Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>> >>> difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>> >>> "damned" in this case?
<Snip>
>> Very widespread in the Home Counties.
>
> For us 'Murrkins, please: Which counties are the Home Counties?
>Are they the ones under the authority of the Home Secretary?
>
The Home Counties are the ones close to London. I won't list them
because you'd be better off looking at a map. Just draw a radius of
about 50 miles from Charing Cross and you should get a rough idea.
I think I included my S.E. England sig. on that one, as a clue.
BTW, it's "Merkins", especially if you sample the delights of
alt.fan.pratchett. (They're really weird over there.)
^^^^^^
Robert Lieblich
Bob Cunningham wrote:
>
> la...@tcp.co.uk (Markus Laker) said:
>
> >david...@neosoft.com (David Carson):
> >
> >> P.S. The correct spelling of "Kiyoharu Hatano," according to my newsreader's
> >> spelling checker, is "Kilohertz Havana."
> >
> >Lager'.
> >
> >Markus 'Don't ask me about Hilary O'Grady' Laker.
>
> My spelling checker suggests that I replace Netanyahu with "Neptunian"
> and Tlakapaki (a tourist attraction south of Sedona, Arizona) with
> "talkative".
I work for the Naval Sea Systems Command - abbreviated NAVSEA. Need I
tell you what spell checkers do with that?
And it's not all that inappropriate . . .
Bob Lieblich <lieb...@erols.com>
Simon R. Hughes
On Thu, 26 Jun 1997 22:44:35 +0100, Albert Marshall
<alb...@execfrog.demon.co.uk> scribbled:
> The Home Counties are the ones close to London. I won't list them
> because you'd be better off looking at a map. Just draw a radius of
> about 50 miles from Charing Cross and you should get a rough idea.
That's the M25.
===
+ From the digits of Simon R. Hughes + mailto:shu...@sn.no +
+ Headers changed to prevent spamming. +
+ To reply, remove *spam-blok* from address line. +
Bob Cunningham
la...@tcp.co.uk (Markus Laker) said:
>david...@neosoft.com (David Carson):
>
>> P.S. The correct spelling of "Kiyoharu Hatano," according to my newsreader's
>> spelling checker, is "Kilohertz Havana."
>
>I'll raise you one. My sister Vivienne's name comes out as 'Divine
>Lager'.
>
>Markus 'Don't ask me about Hilary O'Grady' Laker.
My spelling checker suggests that I replace Netanyahu with "Neptunian"
and Tlakapaki (a tourist attraction south of Sedona, Arizona) with
"talkative".
Quite surprisingly it isn't smart enough to recognize the simple typo in
"jonorable", but suggests replacing it with "monopoles".
I get really ludicrous suggestions from my spelling checker just about
every day. I wish I had saved some of them.
Peter Hesketh
In article <Pine.BSI.3.95.970626...@shell.nicom.com>,
Anandashankar Mazumdar <mazu...@shell.nicom.com> writes
>
> For us 'Murrkins, please: Which counties are the Home Counties?
The counties around London.
Spy
O.Det <ol...@deletespam.netcom.com> wrote in article
> > > go on a "blind" date, close the venetian "blinds", and so on.
> > > We also have a saying that Justice is "blind", meaning it is
impartial.
So how about "blind fifty" of "blind sixty" that they say in bingo?
Spy
Ross Howard
Anandashankar Mazumdar <mazu...@shell.nicom.com> wrote:
> For us 'Murrkins, please: Which counties are the Home Counties?
>Are they the ones under the authority of the Home Secretary?
In this case "home" is where the "Herts" is. (And the Bucks, Middx,
Essex (cf. "girls" of same), Sussex, Kent and Surrey).
To whom they are home, though, is another question entirely -- and
one that I, as a Northerner, had better not get started on here.
Ross Howard
Peter Hesketh
In article <01bc8266$742220c0$LocalHost@ibl0435>, Spy <co...@ibl.bm>
writes
I always assumed that it pointed up the analogy of the zero to a pupil-
less eye.
Back to the original question from Japan, does "blind" carry the bad
overtones that it does in Japan, It struck me that the English
equivalent is "dumb". It's not so much a British English meaning
(although most Brits would know what you meant from the context, but
"dumb" in America can also mean stupid. In fact, in these Politically
Abled times, mebbe that's _all_ it can mean.
What is the current PC term for lacking the abilty to speak?
Mike Ford
On Fri, 27 Jun 1997 00:59:51 GMT, shughes@sn*spam-blok*.no (Simon R.
Hughes) wrote:
>On Thu, 26 Jun 1997 22:44:35 +0100, Albert Marshall
><alb...@execfrog.demon.co.uk> scribbled:
>
>> The Home Counties are the ones close to London. I won't list them
>> because you'd be better off looking at a map. Just draw a radius of
>> about 50 miles from Charing Cross and you should get a rough idea.
>
>That's the M25.
Not by a long shot. The M25 varies (roughly, and off the top of my
head) between 15 and 25 miles from Charing X; at no point does it get
anywhere even remotely close to 50 miles away. (Uuuh, gets map out to
check -- and, in fact, that should be "varies between 14 and 20
miles".)
Jonathan Mason
also want to use "aphasic" or "dysphasic".
In another sense, you might use "inarticulate".
As you have pointed out American English has merged the meanings of
English "dumb" = speechless with German "dumm" = stupid.
Simon R. Hughes
On Sat, 28 Jun 1997 14:37:24 GMT, m...@mcgoff.karoo.co.uk (Mike Ford)
scribbled:
I have just re-thought this out and you must be correct. My parents
live in the middle of Hampshire, and that's about 70 miles from The
Strand.
Simon R. Hughes
On 28 Jun 1997 18:22:48 GMT, "Gwen Lenker" <gale...@worldnet.att.net>
scribbled:
> Peter Hesketh <p...@phesk.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
> <CwWZ6EAW...@phesk.demon.co.uk>...
> >
> > Back to the original question from Japan, does "blind" carry the bad
> > overtones that it does in Japan, It struck me that the English
> > equivalent is "dumb". It's not so much a British English meaning
> > (although most Brits would know what you meant from the context, but
> > "dumb" in America can also mean stupid. In fact, in these Politically
> > Abled times, mebbe that's _all_ it can mean.
> >
> > What is the current PC term for lacking the abilty to speak?
>
> I don't know if the PC people have picked it up, but "aphasic" fills the
> bill when the cause is neurological. The noun form is "aphasia", as in:
Surely "mute" is to those who cannot speak as "blind" is to those who
cannot see.
Several people have contributed to this thread saying that blind
people they know refer to themselves as blind. Perhaps people working
towards politically correct terminology are not doing so with the
general support of those groups they claim to represent.
Cheryl L Perkins
Mark Brader (m...@sq.com) wrote:
:
: > 2) Not necessarily, because the word blind had many meanings and uses in
: > [of] oncoming headlights,
: This particular expression strikes me as exaggerated to the point of error,
: though I believe it's usual in British English. As far as I'm concerned,
: if someone has been "blinded", then their vision isn't going to be recover-
: ing any time soon, and maybe not at all. What happens when you look at
: oncoming headlights is that you are *dazzled*, not blinded.
Not to me, and I speak Canadian English. Being blinded by oncoming
headlights is pretty common, whereas 'dazzled' is used more to refer to
an emotional reason for not being able to see straight. As in 'the
politician was dazzled by the stripper's act.'
Perhaps this is a regional difference within Canada?
: (Similarly, if you touch a live wire and survive, I say that you have been
: *shocked*; it seems to be common in Britain to say "electrocuted", which
: to me implies a fatal shock.)
Here, I agree with you. Although I am trying and failing to remember the
exact terminolgy used here recently when a young boy, on a dare, climbed
a high-power tower and touched a live wire, and fell to earth in flames.
He wasn't described as 'electrocuted' - he did survive. But he wasn't
described as merely 'shocked' either. Although I can't remeber the
details, I think the description focussed on the voltage which passed
through the unfortunate boy.
: Mark Brader, m...@sq.com | "Anyone who can handle a needle convincingly can make
--
Cheryl Perkins
cper...@calvin.stemnet.nf.ca
John Nurick
On Fri, 27 Jun 1997 00:59:51 GMT, shughes@sn*spam-blok*.no (Simon R.
Hughes) wrote:
>On Thu, 26 Jun 1997 22:44:35 +0100, Albert Marshall
><alb...@execfrog.demon.co.uk> scribbled:
>> The Home Counties are the ones close to London. I won't list them
>> because you'd be better off looking at a map. Just draw a radius of
>> about 50 miles from Charing Cross and you should get a rough idea.
>That's the M25.
Nohow (and contrariwise, in the roadworks). From Charing Cross (a
centre of London), the closest part of the M25 (the London orbital
freeway) is only about 12 miles due north, and no part is more than
25 miles away.
John
I dislocated my e-mail address, and the doctor says it will be
six months before I can see a specialist.
Anandashankar Mazumdar
On Sat, 28 Jun 1997, Aaron J. Dinkin wrote:
> In article <CwWZ6EAW...@phesk.demon.co.uk>, Peter Hesketh
> <p...@phesk.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Back to the original question from Japan, does "blind" carry the bad
> >overtones that it does in Japan, It struck me that the English
> >equivalent is "dumb". It's not so much a British English meaning
> >(although most Brits would know what you meant from the context, but
> >"dumb" in America can also mean stupid. In fact, in these Politically
> >Abled times, mebbe that's _all_ it can mean.
> >
> >What is the current PC term for lacking the abilty to speak?
>
> "Mute", I'd bet.
Speech-impaired?
Ananda
Albert Marshall
"N.Mitchum" <aj...@mail.lafn.org> wrote
>Maureen Goldman wrote to >>av...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Judith Puddy) :
>-----
>> > Does this apply to the expression, "It doesn't make a blind bit of
>> > difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
>> > "damned" in this case?
>>
>>.....
>
>I've never heard it either, but I can imagine that "blind" is
>being substituted for "blamed," which is a sight more difficult to
>pronounce when it comes as an adjective. Here "blamed" would
>presumably be short for "dadblamed -- certainly a convoluted
>euphemism for "goddamned."
>
>While "dad-blamed" is not as common in America as "dad-burned" or
>"dadgummed" (themselves by no means widespread), it does exist.
It seems that "a blind bit of" is a BrEnglish phrase. As "blamed" and
all the "dad-..." terms you mentioned are practically unheard of in the
UK your etymology is (unfortunately) probably wrong.
I have heard it suggested that "blind" is a bleeped version of "bloody".
This seems reasonably likely.
OED, anyone?
--
Albert Marshall
Executive French
Language Training for Businesses in Kent
01634 400902
Markus Laker
Geoff Butler <ge...@gbutler.demon.co.uk>:
> Markus Laker <la...@tcp.co.uk> wrote:
> >Markus 'Don't ask me about Hilary O'Grady' Laker.
>
> Ah, but what about Hilary O'Grady?
If you were to ask about her I'd have to write 'hearty orgasm' and
'hairy organ', and we wouldn't want that on a family newsgroup, would
we?
So don't do that, Geoff.
Markus 'Er...' Laker.
--
My newsfeed is dropping messages again.
*Please* send an emailed copy of any reply.
John Davies
In article <ECuFx...@cix.compulink.co.uk>, Harry Small
<hsm...@cix.compulink.co.uk> writes
>I thought a home county was one that bordered Greater London. From memory:
> Herts, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berks, Bucks.
This is a more interesting question than at first I thought it was.
According to _Chambers 20th Century Dictionary_ (1983), they are "the
counties over and into which London has extended"; it goes on to list
them in the following curious fashion: "Middlesex, Essex, Kent, Surrey
(Herts, Sussex)". No explanation is given of the parentheses around the
last two.
But _Chambers's [sic] World Gazetteer and Geographical Dictionary_(1954)
lists them as "Middlesex, Herts, Essex, Kent, Surrey--with the County of
London itself."
Finally, _Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_(1974) defines them as
"The counties nearest London; formerly Kent, Surrey, Essex, Middlesex;
now Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and Sussex are usually
also included in the term..."
Middlesex is of course no longer an administrative entity, having been
partly absorbed into London itself and partly into Hertfordshire in the
local government re-organization of 1965, when the old London County
Council was enlarged to become the Greater London Council (abolished
later by Maggie Thatcher).
So you pays yer money and you takes yer choice, the term having no legal
or administrative significance. Personally I'd prefer Brewer's
definition, though I must say that the inclusion of Sussex strikes me as
odd--no part of either East or West Sussex lies anywhere within the M25,
and there's a great swathe of green countryside between them and the
Great Wen. And if Sussex, why not Hampshire?
--
John Davies (jo...@redwoods.demon.co.uk)
On that of which one cannot speak, one must remain silent. (Wittgenstein)
Mark Baker
In article <pfg4TEAS...@redwoods.demon.co.uk>,
John Davies <jo...@redwoods.demon.co.uk> writes:
> So you pays yer money and you takes yer choice, the term having no legal
> or administrative significance. Personally I'd prefer Brewer's
> definition, though I must say that the inclusion of Sussex strikes me as
> odd--no part of either East or West Sussex lies anywhere within the M25,
> and there's a great swathe of green countryside between them and the
> Great Wen. And if Sussex, why not Hampshire?
There's not all that much green countryside between Crawley and London; no
more than between Guildford and London, and Gatwick airport is in Sussex.
In any case, if someone talks about the home counties I imagine small
villages surrounded by countryside but with a good train service to London,
not built up areas.
Adrian Tan
N.Mitchum wrote:
>
> Maureen Goldman wrote to
> > > difference"? I never could figure that one out. Does "blind" stand for
> > > "damned" in this case?
> I've never heard it either, but I can imagine that "blind" is
> being substituted for "blamed," which is a sight more difficult to
Has anyone mentioned "blimey"? The fact that "blind" is used there might
indicate that it isn't a substitution for "damned", "blamed", or
"bloody", but a a "curse word" in its own right.