tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post8310548167193512942..comments2023-12-25T23:40:17.701-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Carioca: Come Up HigherDaniel Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980949721733826978noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-35364958503704502012009-03-14T14:48:00.000-04:002009-03-14T14:48:00.000-04:00Sorry to come in late, but for all of you lovers o...Sorry to come in late, but for all of you lovers of the language, and from this and the previous it is obvious all of you indeed are, you cannot really be in the game without your very own personal copy of Fowler's. Hie thee hence to be sanctioned, or you might be.<BR/>Fowler, Henry; Winchester, Simon (introduction) (2003 reprint). A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (Oxford Language Classics Series). Oxford Press. ISBN 0-19-860506-4.<BR/>John1, aka, John Mossjmosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17788910071603270737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-64723881698308229722009-03-10T14:55:00.000-04:002009-03-10T14:55:00.000-04:00From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sancti...From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sanction<BR/><BR/>Word History: Occasionally, a word can have contradictory meanings. Such a case is represented by sanction, which can mean both "to allow, encourage" and "to punish so as to deter." It is a borrowing from the Latin word sānctiō, meaning "a law or decree that is sacred or inviolable." In English, the word is first recorded in the mid-1500s in the meaning "law, decree," but not long after, in about 1635, it refers to "the penalty enacted to cause one to obey a law or decree." Thus from the beginning two fundamental notions of law were wrapped up in it: law as something that permits or approves and law that forbids by punishing. From the noun, a verb sanction was created in the 18th century meaning "to allow by law," but it wasn't until the second half of the 20th century that it began to mean "to punish (for breaking a law)." English has a few other words that can refer to opposites, such as the verbs dust (meaning both "to remove dust from" and "to put dust on") and trim (meaning both "to cut something away" and "to add something as an ornament").Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-22714246084395532192009-03-10T13:11:00.000-04:002009-03-10T13:11:00.000-04:00That's funny...I was just musing on the double mea...That's funny...I was just musing on the double meaning of "sanction" in just this context the other day. I've been meaning to look up the word's history. Any insights ("brilliant" or otherwise)?Nathan J.A. Humphreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208109242962723992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-90228493048731746742009-03-09T08:55:00.000-04:002009-03-09T08:55:00.000-04:00Fr. Dan,I have, in my profession, done assessments...Fr. Dan,<BR/>I have, in my profession, done assessments on a few folks who are truly brilliant. The best measure of intelligence is vocabulary. The best measure of vocabulary is how it is used. Brilliant folks are parsimonious, with an economy of expression. I remember a splendid movie review of "Remains of the Day". "A story of unshakable repression." Dcn DaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-35614476136714823682009-03-08T17:17:00.000-04:002009-03-08T17:17:00.000-04:00To my knowledge, there are no ecclesiastical impli...To my knowledge, there are no ecclesiastical implications to the divergence in the usage of "brilliant." Of course, the literal meaning in both countries has to do with "brightness" or "shining." In America--and this is perhaps semi-slang, but well-established--it can denote intelligence, unusual perceptivity, or an idea emanating from those qualities, as in "She's brilliant; what a brilliant idea!" In Britain, as I have observed both from being there and from watching British TV shows, "brilliant" is an all-purpose adjective denoting a positive assessment, not necessarily having to do with intelligence or perception, as in "Football is brilliant" (meaning, "I really like football") and the like. Hope this helps.Daniel Martinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15980949721733826978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-47797421701229450022009-03-08T16:59:00.000-04:002009-03-08T16:59:00.000-04:00so please explain the difference between the Briti...so please explain the difference between the British (would that also mean it is Anglican) definition of Brilliant in contrast to the American one.<BR/><BR/>I have a strong feeling that the British definition describes the goings on in the church whereas the American definition defines that single sentence post. :DAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05718336789496434805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-37907456300624774752009-03-08T08:20:00.000-04:002009-03-08T08:20:00.000-04:00Excellent job Allison Elaine!Excellent job Allison Elaine!Undergroundpewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10182191422663119484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-69359869982948481812009-03-07T19:49:00.000-05:002009-03-07T19:49:00.000-05:00That is, without a doubt, perfect.That is, without a doubt, perfect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-37339737294113357822009-03-07T14:20:00.000-05:002009-03-07T14:20:00.000-05:00Reverend Sir,My goodness! This is an honor beyond ...Reverend Sir,<BR/><BR/>My goodness! This is an honor beyond any I have heretofore received. Thank you! <BR/><BR/>AllisonAllison Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08127584096174430464noreply@blogger.com