On Tue, 12 Dec 2000 09:01:18 -0500, Roger Turk wrote:
> Sam Heywood wrote:
>>> Yes, I know about this problem and I also know about the homonyms
> "ordinance" and "ordnance". I had inadvertently used the incorrect word
> when I composed my message originally. I mentioned the matter, only in
> passing, so as to point out an instance when we cannot rely on
> spell-checkers because they know nothing about context. "Ordnance" may
> be used either as an adjective or a noun and may be either singular or
> plural depending on context. Examples: "A claymore is an ordnance item".
> "Claymores are ordnance items". "The shore batteries have been supplied
> with sufficient ordnance."<<
> I have neighbors, John and Ruby Claymore. Do you think that they would be
> interested to know that they will be shot from a canon?
Your message would have passed spell-check also. A canon is not an
artillery piece. Cannons are. A canon is a theological dogma officially
approved and blessed by the hierarchy of a church and required to be
affirmed as a tenet of faith by all members. Canonization is the
official proclamation of recognition of sainthood. (In a popular classic
movie they made a joke of the word in a scene involving a dialog between
the Mother Superior of a Roman Catholic military high school and the
recently assigned commandant of the Corps of Cadets. The newly appointed
commandant was a major in the US Army and he knew nothing about the
Roman Catholic religion. It was a very good movie, but I forgot the name
of it. The principal theme involved a struggle among the religious
authorities over whether they should dismiss the new commandant. They
would condemn him on the one hand for his insensitivity and ignorance on
matters of religion, but they greatly admired him on the other hand for
his ability to instill discipline and character and motivation among the
students, most of whom were the progeny of very troubled homes.)
Claymores are never shot from cannons. They are designed as user-friendly
command-detonated anti-personnel mines. Not compatible with windows.
Sam Heywood
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