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masahiko - 01 Jan 2004 08:56 GMT

Is the word " runt" below used to mean the " smallest " among others?
Or does the author intend to imply that the trailer is inferior in
quality as well as small in the size?

I walked outside. My father's camper was a runt among the others in the
park. A one-room aluminum job with a slope on the back. It looked more
like a giant turtle than a trailer.

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david56 - 01 Jan 2004 11:55 GMT

masahiko@r5.dion.ne.jp spake thus:

> Is the word " runt" below used to mean the " smallest " among others?
> Or does the author intend to imply that the trailer is inferior in
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> park. A one-room aluminum job with a slope on the back. It looked more
> like a giant turtle than a trailer.

A runt is the weakest piglet in a litter. The word carries
connotations of being both smallest and weakest; the pig runt may
not survive as it will not be able to push through its brothers and
sisters to get to the milk and so will become progressively weaker.

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David
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Dena Jo - 01 Jan 2004 15:59 GMT

> A runt is the weakest piglet in a litter. The word carries
> connotations of being both smallest and weakest; the pig runt may
> not survive as it will not be able to push through its brothers and
> sisters to get to the milk and so will become progressively weaker.

In AmE at least, "runt of the litter" is commonly used to denote
just the smallest one and is frequently used to describe the smallest
dog in the litter.

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Dena Jo

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John Dean - 02 Jan 2004 01:16 GMT

>> A runt is the weakest piglet in a litter. The word carries
>> connotations of being both smallest and weakest; the pig runt may
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> just the smallest one and is frequently used to describe the smallest
> dog in the litter.

From OED, 'runt' for pig is a fairly recent usage (1841). Earlier uses were
for horses (1725), cows (1549), plants (esp. cabbages) (1785) and the stump
of a tree (1501)
--
John Dean
Oxford
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Gary Vellenzer - 01 Jan 2004 12:21 GMT

> Is the word " runt" below used to mean the " smallest " among others?
> Or does the author intend to imply that the trailer is inferior in
> quality as well as small in the size?

Both. Runts are small and ineffectual.

Gary

> I walked outside. My father's camper was a runt among the others in the
> park. A one-room aluminum job with a slope on the back. It looked more
> like a giant turtle than a trailer.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

runt