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Discussion Groups / British English / July 2004hoi polloi
It must be the pronunciation and sound of 'hoi polloi' that makes one directly thinks its meaning is 'upper class' or 'high society'. I know it really means 'the common people' but I find it too easy to muddle these in speech and get the definition wrong. Just an observation, really. Emily typed thus: > It must be the pronunciation and sound of 'hoi polloi' that makes one > directly thinks its meaning is 'upper class' or 'high society'. I know it > really means 'the common people' but I find it too easy to muddle these in > speech and get the definition wrong. Just an observation, really. A non-classical education in Gilbert and Sullivan gives one a framework: Our lordly style You shall not quench With base canaille! (That word is French.) Distinction ebbs Before a herd Of vulgar plebs! (A Latin word.) 'Twould fill with joy, And madness stark The hoi polloi! (A Greek remark.) One Latin word, one Greek remark, And one that's French.  SignatureDavid ===== On Tuesday, in article <MPG.1b54e4c6cb08551498a61d@news.individual.net> > 'Twould fill with joy, > And madness stark > The hoi polloi! I hadn't before realized that Gilbert would have been so crass as to use the definite article along with "hoi polloi"; still, I suppose it wouldn't have scanned without it! Signaturefix (vb.): 1. to paper over, obscure, hide from public view; 2. to work around, in a way that produces unintended consequences that are worse than the original problem. Usage: "Windows ME fixes many of the shortcomings of Windows 98 SE". Brian {Hamilton Kelly} typed thus: > On Tuesday, in article > <MPG.1b54e4c6cb08551498a61d@news.individual.net> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > the definite article along with "hoi polloi"; still, I suppose it > wouldn't have scanned without it! Gilbert? Crass? Wash your mouth out! There was an old man of St. Bees Who was stung on the arm by a wasp, When asked "Does it hurt?" He replied "No, it doesn't; I'm so glad it wasn't a hornet." SignatureDavid ===== "david56" <bass.c.voice@ntlworld.com> wrote... > Brian {Hamilton Kelly} typed thus: > > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I hadn't before realized that Gilbert would have been so crass as to > > use the definite article along with "hoi polloi"; still, I suppose it > > wouldn't have scanned without it! > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > He replied "No, it doesn't; > I'm so glad it wasn't a hornet." Is that the canonical version? The last line has gone out of skew on the treadle. I thought it went more like this: There was an old man of [somewhere] Who was stung on the [thing] by a wasp; When they asked "Does it hurt?" He replied "Not a bit -- It can do it again if it likes." Matti Matti Lamprhey typed thus: > "david56" <bass.c.voice@ntlworld.com> wrote... > > Brian {Hamilton Kelly} typed thus: [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > He replied "Not a bit -- > It can do it again if it likes." I've never seen that version. I was taught the one I quoted by my Dad, about 40 years ago. SignatureDavid ===== > Matti Lamprhey typed thus: > [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > I've never seen that version. I was taught the one I quoted by my > Dad, about 40 years ago. Matti's is very similar to the version I learned as a child. There was an old man of Dundee Who was stung on the leg by a wasp; When asked if it hurt He said "No, not a bit -- It can do it again if it likes." SignatureRay >> Matti Lamprhey typed thus: >>> "david56" <bass.c.voice@ntlworld.com> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >He said "No, not a bit -- >It can do it again if it likes." Not heard of those; learnt this at an early age: There was faith healer from Deal Who said "Although pain isn't real If I sit on a pin And it ounctures my skin I dislike what I fancy I feel." Signaturepaul (C) © 2004 is mine >Matti Lamprhey typed thus: > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >I've never seen that version. I was taught the one I quoted by my >Dad, about 40 years ago. There once was a man from Dunoon Who always ate soup with a fork For, he said, "Since I eat neither flesh, foul nor fish I'd otherwise finish too quickly". SignatureDave OSOS#24 dswindell.gerbil@tcp.co.uk Remove my gerbil for email replies Yamaha XJ900S & Wessex sidecar, the sexy one Yamaha XJ900F & Watsonian Monaco, the comfortable one http://dswindell.members.beeb.net |
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