Re: oxymora, proper and improper
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 OK. I'll bite: I searched high and low for a definition of proper oxymoron as opposed toimproper oxymoron I found: a) Oxymoron (Logic): A logical expression that contradicts itself (see Epimenides: All people from Crete are lying). b) A rhetorical construct, figure of speech, that combines contradicting or incongruous terms: fighting for peace a special case of b) is called contradictio in adjecto, as in ~ thundering silence ~ old boy ~ mournful optimist We even have a funny German poem which is a long string of oxymora: (The text suffers a lot in translation) It was a dark and stormy night the sun was shining with all it's might green was the grass on the snow covered ground when a carriage raced slowly around the corner of a straight road etc etc etc Thus my question: Why should paper tablecloth, or giant shrimp, or the well known military intelligence, be improper forms of oxymora? Where would I find a definition? - -- ~ With kind Regards|\ _,,,---,,_ ~ZZZzz /,`.-'`'-. ;-;;, ~ Volker Bandke |,4- ) )-,_. ,\ ( `'-' ~ (BSP GmbH)'---''(_/--' `-'\_) ~ Organization is the enemy of improvisation. ~ (Another Wisdom from my fortune cookie jar) -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFCv8soHm2sbKEAXTARAvhlAKDVZYJRrwBW/q4d+LajVUvFWdKF9ACgzePO 1sY1jl06rwGa4d71He1cZ74= =t/ej -END PGP SIGNATURE- -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: oxymora, proper and improper
Darell, wherefore art thou? -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of john gilmore Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 9:03 AM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: oxymora, proper and improper Volker Bandke has asked for citations for my distinction between proper and improper oxymora. Very well. From, for example, the Wikipedia On-Line Encyclopedia (which is reachable by googling 'oxymoron'): An oxymoron (plural oxymora) (noun) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms (e.g. deafening silence). Oxymoron is a Greek term derived from oxy (sharp) and moros (dull). Oxymora are a proper subset of the expressions called contradiction in terms. What distinguishes oxymora from other paradoxes and contradictions is that they are used intentionally, for rhetorical effect, and the contradiction is only apparent, as the combination of terms provides a novel expression of some concept. which is a szuitably elementary discussion. The notion of 'a novel expression of some concept' is of course problematic when it is viewed diachronically; but it is important to remember that 'deafening silence' was once, perhaps in Cicero's time, a fresh and novel expression. (Or again, he may have borrowed it from a Greek text known to him and lost to us.) John Gilmore Ashland, MA 01721 USA _ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: oxymora, proper and improper
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 probably I am totally stupid today, but how does this Wikipedia articelette ~ [1] describe the difference between the paper table cloth or bitter sweet as improper oxymoron, against the Lancelot quotation as a proper one? Oh well, this is OT anyhow, no need to waste some small band-width sic. I'll have to live without the knowledge what an improper oxymoron is. [1] the German version is somewhat different, as it mentions ironical use of an oxymoron as well. ~ With kind Regards|\ _,,,---,,_ ~ZZZzz /,`.-'`'-. ;-;;, ~ Volker Bandke |,4- ) )-,_. ,\ ( `'-' ~ (BSP GmbH)'---''(_/--' `-'\_) ~ There is no delight the equal of dread. ~ As long as it is somebody else's. --Clive Barker ~ (Another Wisdom from my fortune cookie jar) -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFCwBEPHm2sbKEAXTARAvd+AJ49FFXN9m0Hhu1+iheEUyJBGQAO/QCg9ITA BqQOErMkAShG67Dn2ZG9B3o= =msQR -END PGP SIGNATURE- -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: oxymora, proper and improper
Wherefore means why, not where. See: http://www.allshakespeare.com/quotes/256 Original Message - From: Roberto Halais Kareh [EMAIL PROTECTED] Newsgroups: bit.listserv.ibm-main To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 4:37 PM Subject: Re: oxymora, proper and improper Darell, wherefore art thou? -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of john gilmore Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 9:03 AM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: oxymora, proper and improper Volker Bandke has asked for citations for my distinction between proper and improper oxymora. Very well. From, for example, the Wikipedia On-Line Encyclopedia (which is reachable by googling 'oxymoron'): An oxymoron (plural oxymora) (noun) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms (e.g. deafening silence). Oxymoron is a Greek term derived from oxy (sharp) and moros (dull). Oxymora are a proper subset of the expressions called contradiction in terms. What distinguishes oxymora from other paradoxes and contradictions is that they are used intentionally, for rhetorical effect, and the contradiction is only apparent, as the combination of terms provides a novel expression of some concept. which is a szuitably elementary discussion. The notion of 'a novel expression of some concept' is of course problematic when it is viewed diachronically; but it is important to remember that 'deafening silence' was once, perhaps in Cicero's time, a fresh and novel expression. (Or again, he may have borrowed it from a Greek text known to him and lost to us.) John Gilmore Ashland, MA 01721 USA _ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: oxymora, proper and improper
the rare linguistic category known as Janus words, which are individual words that can mean either X or the opposite of X, depending on context and intent. Is there a category for NewJersey words? words that defy comprehension without the local key (accent): Toimerl as in, my spirit is in toimerl Accent thesaurus. Hey Oil (Earl), put some earl (oil) in the car. -- This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
oxymora, proper and improper
Paul Gilmartin writes: I hadn't understood that; I'm not sure I do yet. Can you enlighten us with examples of a fully legitimate oxymoron and a conventional, illegitimate oxymoron. Proper oxymora are not far to seek. A famous double one is Tennyson's. Writing of Lancelot, already guiltily involved with Arthur's wife Guinevere, who, when he encounters Elaine, the Lily Main of Astolat, omits to bed her, . . . And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true. Improper ones take such forms as paper tablecloth. I have a strong suspicion that we are already OT with this thread, and I will therefore refrain from providing more such examples, but I suspect (a) that there are PMLA papers that list proper ones in extenso and (b) that you can invent as many improper ones as you may need yourself. John Gilmore Ashland, MA 01721 U.S.A. _ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar get it now! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
