"Assume for a/the moment"

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sasha mal - 13 Dec 2005 15:01 GMT

Dear newsgroupers,

I wonder when to use "assume for the moment" and when "assume for a
moment". Is there a rule? Could anyone help?

Thanks in advance,
Sasha.

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Purl Gurl - 13 Dec 2005 22:46 GMT

> I wonder when to use "assume for the moment" and when "assume for a
> moment". Is there a rule? Could anyone help?

Either syntax is acceptable.

However, and there is always a however, if not a but.

There are some considerations; voice and contemporary need.

This will read anal retentive and is. Nonetheless this is a rare
case example of being anal retentive creating benefit, which
is leading you into better style, into a more exciting voice.

"The moment" No, no, uncomfortable and not fitting in time,
not contemporary. When you utter those words, "the moment"
that moment has already past; it is no longer. You are no
longer in beat with the music of your voice. "The moment"
has come and gone. It is a _signal_ of past tense.

This is why. Use of "a moment" signals qualifiers will follow,
a question will follow, then "a moment" begins. You are
setting a non-specific moment which is yet to come, yet
to be used, not by you rather another.

Let us assume for a moment (now we need qualifers)

Let us assume for a moment Green Slave Girls are not
from Orion. (now we need an interrogative)

Let us assume for a moment Green Slave Girls are not
from Orion. From where are they? (now a moment begins)

We are in "the moment" now and it is time for the other
to speak in response. When the other finishes speaking,
"the moment" has elapsed, it is over.

The end of the question is the "go" and final word of the
other, is the "stop."

Let us assume for _the_ moment, Green Slave Girls are
not from Orion. From where are they?

Your "the moment" is already gone. You have labeled some
arbitrary moment in time as "the moment" and effectively
have sent a signal it is past tense. You cannot grab a slice
of time and hold it, cannot suspend time. Time waits for none.

My examples are not rules, nor even guidelines. My examples
are style. This is a style of being mindful of "tiny nuances"
which reflect on your command of language.

Tiny nuances, anal retentive, almost the same except nuance
leads to good style, a result of positive anal retentive thinking.

Pay attention to even the most tiny of details and your voice
will speak with both style and intelligence.

Purl Gurl

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Iain Dalton - 14 Dec 2005 16:44 GMT

> "The moment" No, no, uncomfortable and not fitting in time,
> not contemporary. When you utter those words, "the moment"
> that moment has already past; it is no longer. You are no
> longer in beat with the music of your voice. "The moment"
> has come and gone. It is a _signal_ of past tense.

Here you regard moments as specific points in time.

> The end of the question is the "go" and final word of the
> other, is the "stop."

Here you regard moments as indefinite intervals of time. I think this
describes "moment" for both cases.

I think that with "the moment," "go" appears at "let's assume for the
moment...," and "stop" appears when the speakers finish discussing the
assumption.

With "a moment," "go" appears after "let's assume for the moment
that...," and "stop" apears when the speakers finish discussing the
assumption.

--
Iain Dalton

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sasha mal - 14 Dec 2005 19:34 GMT

Thanks everybody!

> ... with "the moment," "go" appears at "let's assume for the
> moment...," and "stop" appears when the speakers finish discussing the
> assumption.
>
> With "a moment," "go" appears after "let's assume for the moment

.........................................................^
.........................................................a

> that...," and "stop" apears when the speakers finish discussing the
> assumption.

Somehow I see no difference between the two except a possible misprint
and "that".

Besides, I thought I understood the difference before the message of
Purl Gurl. And after his message, I stopped understanding everything. In
fact, I have no "anal retentive" intuition or knowledge of his kind and
that's why I cannot follow his arguments.

If it's not too much, could I beg you to speak the non-psychoanalytic
language that normal mortals like me understand?

Thank you nevertheless,
Sasha.

Reply to this Message

Purl Gurl - 14 Dec 2005 20:10 GMT

(snipped)

> > with "the moment," "go" appears at "let's assume for the
> > moment...," and "stop" appears when the speakers finish discussing the
> > With "a moment," "go" appears after "let's assume for the moment
> > that...," and "stop" apears when the speakers finish discussing the

> Somehow I see no difference between the two except a possible misprint
> and "that".

> Besides, I thought I understood the difference before the message of
> Purl Gurl. And after his message, I stopped understanding everything.

You have rearned, Gleen Glasshoppa!

My objective is to cause others to stop understanding everything. This
affords a fresh blank mind upon which to imprint thoughts I want others
to think. I intend to conquer our world using an army of mindless minions.

MUUHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

> If it's not too much, could I beg you to speak the non-psychoanalytic
> language that normal mortals like me understand?

Use "for a moment" and quit worrying about this.

Nobody will laugh at you; I have turned all into mindless minions.

Purl Gurl

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credoquaabsurdum - 16 Dec 2005 23:37 GMT

> (snipped)
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>
> Purl Gurl

So where's Pinky? Is he still stuck in the moment or are you bringing
him along too?

Incidentally, Francis Bacon affirmed Aquinas's notion of the necessity
of turning one's mind into a "tabula rasa" while undergoing a course of
scalding enema treatments for chronic constipation.

All that anal-retentive stuff...hmm...at least you're in good company,
Brain.

Reply to this Message

Purl Gurl - 17 Dec 2005 00:38 GMT

(snipped)

> > My objective is to cause others to stop understanding everything. This
> > affords a fresh blank mind upon which to imprint thoughts I want others
> > to think. I intend to conquer our world using an army of mindless minions.

> So where's Pinky? Is he still stuck in the moment or are you bringing
> him along too?

We are forever stuck in the moment. There is no yesterday nor tomorrow.

Far, far away, in another galaxy, there is this beautiful woman, an intelligent
woman, a philosopher in her own right, Styx. She often considers this notion
of time, often ponders this nature of time. In time, a dawning of enlightenment.
She thinks, "Time is like a river, forever flowing. We are but footsteps in time."

Motivated by understanding, Styx sets about to prove to herself, time is a flowing
river and we, unique footsteps in the river of time. She jumps up, takes off running
as fast as she could right across a nearby river. Run, step, run, step, run, step,
right out to the middle of that river, whereupon she drown, not being a swimmer.
Then, now, tomorrow, that river bears her name in honor, in respect for a basic
philosophy; sink or swim.

> So where's Pinky?

Pinky and the Brain are simply too corny. My constant companions
are Larry, Moe and Curly. Sometimes I invite Abbott and Costello
along, for those moments I experience lucid seriousness.

> Incidentally, Francis Bacon affirmed Aquinas's notion of the necessity
> of turning one's mind into a "tabula rasa" while undergoing a course of
> scalding enema treatments for chronic constipation.

As do Locke, Freud and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Tabula Rasa, nothing more than tossing a tarp over intrinsic human nature.

Some claim we begin life with a blank slate but I am very skeptical. Studies
of primates indicate otherwise. Watching high primates age and mature,
they display intrinsic human nature. These natures are joy, sadness, love,
hate, compassion, cruelty, humor and insult among many others.

Tabula Rasa is true in a sense of learned behaviors, especially higher
abstract thinking based upon knowledge learning. However, our emotional
qualities exist at birth.

Give me a Neandertal, I can make him cry, I can make him laugh, I can
make him angry, simply using my cello. Those are qualities not intrinsic
to simple survival. My Neandertal may, at some point, elect to make
dinner of me, but he will be an emotional wreck before he dines.

Yeah, ok, we have a blank mind at birth but intrinsic human nature is
superadded, superimposed, on the flip side of our blank chalk board.

> All that anal-retentive stuff...hmm...at least you're in good company,

There is no doubt I am in the company of the anal retentive, here.
Good company or bad company, this is of question. However, there
is no question Bad Company is one of the best rock bands around.

And I said, Bad Company, oh yeah yeah
Bad Company, 'til the day I die
'Cause I'm young and I'm free
Oh, but I'm in Bad Company

Purl Gurl

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credoquaabsurdum - 19 Dec 2005 08:39 GMT

> Far, far away, in another galaxy, there is this beautiful woman, an intelligent
> woman, a philosopher in her own right, Styx. She often considers this notion
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Then, now, tomorrow, that river bears her name in honor, in respect for a basic
> philosophy; sink or swim.

So who are you, Charon? After all, you are asking people to pay for
your services.

> Pinky and the Brain are simply too corny. My constant companions
> are Larry, Moe and Curly. Sometimes I invite Abbott and Costello
> along, for those moments I experience lucid seriousness.

Good grief! While floating along the river Lethe, no doubt...

> Give me a Neandertal, I can make him cry, I can make him laugh, I can
> make him angry, simply using my cello. Those are qualities not intrinsic
> to simple survival. My Neandertal may, at some point, elect to make
> dinner of me, but he will be an emotional wreck before he dines.

The Neanderthal may have her own opinions on that. You might want to
ask her at dinner. I have found, in general, that women are the
man-eaters of the genus.

In any case, this group is fundamentally non-confrontational, and,
looking back, my flippant comments on your response to the original
poster were uncalled for. Welcome to misc.education.language.english,
and good luck in all your endeavors, ecstatic delusions of grandeur,
raptures of onanism, whatnot. It's all good!

Reply to this Message

Purl Gurl - 20 Dec 2005 02:06 GMT

(snipped)

> > Far, far away, in another galaxy, there is this beautiful woman, an intelligent

> > philosophy; sink or swim.

> So who are you, Charon? After all, you are asking people to pay for
> your services.

I am a modern day Aphrodite, earning lots and lots of money for my services.

> > Pinky and the Brain are simply too corny. My constant companions
> > are Larry, Moe and Curly. Sometimes I invite Abbott and Costello
> > along, for those moments I experience lucid seriousness.

> Good grief! While floating along the river Lethe, no doubt...

Not exactly. I am usually found floating in Duck Soap.

> > Give me a Neandertal, I can make him cry, I can make him laugh, I can
> > make him angry, simply using my cello. Those are qualities not intrinsic
> > to simple survival. My Neandertal may, at some point, elect to make
> > dinner of me, but he will be an emotional wreck before he dines.

> The Neanderthal may have her own opinions on that. You might want to
> ask her at dinner. I have found, in general, that women are the
> man-eaters of the genus.

I have an hourglass tatttooed upon my belly.

> In any case, this group is fundamentally non-confrontational, and,
> looking back, my flippant comments on your response to the original
> poster were uncalled for. Welcome to misc.education.language.english,
> and good luck in all your endeavors, ecstatic delusions of grandeur,
> raptures of onanism, whatnot. It's all good!

"raptures of onanism" You have a misspelled word in there. I am not a loner.

Are you making a subtle reference to Ona Z perhaps?

Rather inactive newsgroup. Are there children present?

Purl Gurl

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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / December 2005

"Assume for a/the moment"