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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010Quackless edges
Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. > Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. What have got against edgeless quacks?  SignatureMike. >> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. > > What have got against edgeless quacks? They border on the snake oil market. >>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >> What have got against edgeless quacks? > > They border on the snake oil market. What on earth are "quackless edges"? SignatureLong-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia, which may or may not influence my opinions. >>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>> What have got against edgeless quacks? >> >> They border on the snake oil market. > >What on earth are "quackless edges"? Presumably Frontières Sans Médecins. A front-to-back version of Médecins Sans Frontières (AmE: Doctors Without Borders): http://www.msf.org/ SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Without Borders): > http://www.msf.org/ How bizarre. Who thinks like that to come up with such an expression? SignatureLong-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia, which may or may not influence my opinions. >>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? >>>> They border on the snake oil market. >>> What on earth are "quackless edges"? >> >> Presumably Frontières Sans Médecins. Ah, a rare, appropriate use of "sans". >> A front-to-back version of Médecins Sans Frontières (AmE: Doctors >> Without Borders): >> http://www.msf.org/ > > How bizarre. Who thinks like that to come up with such an expression? French speakers? I've always assumed it was a reference back to "Jeux Sans Frontières" (known in the UK as "It's A Knockout"), although I suppose they may both come from a French idiom. SignatureDavid >>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > French speakers? I think you mis-interpreted my question. I wasn't referring to MSF itself, but how "quackless edges" was apparently derived from it. I doubt that was done by French speakers. SignatureLong-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia, which may or may not influence my opinions. >>>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > itself, but how "quackless edges" was apparently derived from it. I > doubt that was done by French speakers. Yes, I did, sorry. SignatureDavid >>>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >itself, but how "quackless edges" was apparently derived from it. I >doubt that was done by French speakers. I assumed that it was done by the OP, Irwell. Just a bit of AUE wordplayfulness. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > I assumed that it was done by the OP, Irwell. Just a bit of AUE > wordplayfulness. Very clever, as were you to work it out. My lateral thinking is not good enough :) SignatureLong-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia, which may or may not influence my opinions. >>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > A front-to-back version of Médecins Sans Frontières (AmE: Doctors > Without Borders I think "Frontiers" is a better translation. > ): > http://www.msf.org/ I'm less fond of him than I was before he became a member of the present Government, but the French Minister of Foreign Affairs was a founder of Médecins Sans Frontières, and he has a standard medical qualification: not a quack (except in the very loose sense). The frightening rise of quackery in the UK over recent years seems a good reason to abandon the loose sense. Otherwise we'll need a new work for the chiropracters, homeopaths, etc. Signatureathel >>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > I think "Frontiers" is a better translation. Why? I take the notion to be "We go where doctors are needed; we don't worry about what country that may be." To my mind, thats not paying attention to borders, not frontiers. I don't think of there being a "frontier" between Israel and Jordan or between India and Pakistan. A frontier is more an outer edge of the settled or explored area (perhaps just from one perspective). SignatureEvan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------ HP Laboratories |Whatever it is that the government 1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |does, sensible Americans would prefer Palo Alto, CA 94304 |that the government do it to somebody |else. kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com | P.J. O'Rourke (650)857-7572 http://www.kirshenbaum.net/ Evan Kirshenbaum filted: >>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Pakistan. A frontier is more an outer edge of the settled or explored >area (perhaps just from one perspective). Try driving from the US into Mexico from somewhere other than San Diego...you cross the border, then 20 kilometres later you cross the "frontier" and you're in proper Mexico instead of just some touristy buffer zone....r SignatureA pessimist sees the glass as half empty. An optometrist asks whether you see the glass more full like this?...or like this? >>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Pakistan. A frontier is more an outer edge of the settled or explored > area (perhaps just from one perspective). And now I'll be hearing Davy Crockett all day.... SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) >>>>>>> Sent them some money to help out in Haiti. >>>>>> What have got against edgeless quacks? [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Pakistan. A frontier is more an outer edge of the settled or explored > area (perhaps just from one perspective). I grant that there is a lot of overlap in meaning between the two words, and not everyone divides them up in the same way, but for me a frontier is a more definite barrier than a border: there is a border between California and Nevada, for example, but no frontier. Signatureathel > The frightening rise of quackery in the UK over recent years seems a > good reason to abandon the loose sense. Otherwise we'll need a new > work for the chiropracters, homeopaths, etc. You've forgotten the legal profession - a group that could let you be sued for saying what you've just done surely deserves to be called quacks themselves. SignatureOnline waterways route planner | http://canalplan.eu Plan trips, see photos, check facilities | http://canalplan.org.uk Nick filted: >> The frightening rise of quackery in the UK over recent years seems a >> good reason to abandon the loose sense. Otherwise we'll need a new [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >sued for saying what you've just done surely deserves to be called >quacks themselves. "I could sue you for calling me that, Polly! A shyster is a disreputable lawyer. I'M a QUACK!" - Robert Preston as Dr Finegarten, in Blake Edwards' "S.O.B." ....r SignatureA pessimist sees the glass as half empty. An optometrist asks whether you see the glass more full like this?...or like this? > "I could sue you for calling me that, Polly! A shyster is a disreputable lawyer. > I'M a QUACK!" > - Robert Preston as Dr Finegarten, in Blake Edwards' "S.O.B." I speak not as a lawyer but as a nature lover: is this not all rather degrading to ducks? Shirley the tone should be elevated! best from Brussels, quacklessly, S. PS -- confession of interest here: friends work with their office here and a journo friend once travelled with them in the 80s to help boat people...all very inspiring stuff. |
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