Flatley on Flute

[talasiga]

As for myself I use the word nexus when I am about to to write the word "connection" and I think that "nexus" is a quicker way. Admittedly "link" has even less key strokes but the thing is "connection" leads me to "nexus" kind of automatically because the first word that came to my mind (connection) owes its origins to "nexus" as in "coNEXion".

I know that "ponce" means someone who lives off a prostitute's earnings but I have never knowingly had any interaction with ponces. Therefore I do not know whether "nexus" is a favoured word among them.

[Nanohedron]

I had to look up "nexus".

You did not.

How does Nano know that benhall.1 didn't have to look it up?

Boy. How do I gird my loins for the labor of explaining this one? Okay, here goes:

Of course I didn't know that Ben didn't have to look it up. What you witnessed was a well-understood form of expressing very strong disbelief, or of not wanting to believe, in a manner that Anglophone Westerners use all the time in highly informal situations. To say "You did not" (the emphasis indicated by the italics is key for good colloquial delivery, and a grin helps; failing that, timing is essential ) is a cultural commonplace of what we could maybe call rough play, and there's no mystery about it. And, because it's rather childlike in tone, it's a milder indictment, a mere poke, than is saying flat-out that someone is a liar, and by contrast that is less likely to be mere play and usually requires a reckoning, for to call someone a liar - using that very word - is an insult no matter how true it may be. Although the two are close, and there are of course exceptions and gradations of nuance in all cases, so one has to be careful and pick one's battles with this one: best to use it only around those who are familiar with each other, and to a degree Internet acquaintance can suffice to fill the bill for that too. The intent of the phrase for adult usage had often better be jocular or ironic, for in the absence of actual knowledge it must be based either on mere incredulity or on an educated guess, which is the case here. But, it can backfire. As you can see, in my case apparently it did not, for my skin is intact so far (unless Ben is plotting a lovingly polished revenge ). For it to be least likely to backfire, again it's best to confine its use to one's friends, or to acquaintances of good will among whom such rough play is likely to be acceptable. I would never use it with a total stranger unless 1) we had somehow broken the ice enough and in the right way beforehand, 2) it was itself a calculated gambit to break the ice, or 3) I meant it in all seriousness, in which case I had better be in possession of the facts.

Personally, I was hoping for Ben to get back to me with a fellowship-style jab in kind, but he's strangely silent, so: Ben, if you're out there and I hurt your feelings, I'm sorry.

And if that indeed is the case does it imply that ben already knew the meaning of the word as given in his post

.......
I had to look up "nexus". I see it's a poncey word for "link". I bet Flatley uses the word.

?

(That is to say does he already know the meaning of words he considers poncey?)

Yes. Exactly. That was what I was implying, and accusing him of. All in good fun, of course!

Thus endeth today's class in WestCiv English Language Idiom 101.

[EDIT: Obviously the opposite, "You did so (or 'too' too), is implicit in this mess as well and with the same caveats. That sort of thing. Just in case you're taking notes, talasiga.]

[Denny]

Of course I didn't know that Ben didn't have to look it up. What you witnessed was a well-understood form of expressing very strong disbelief, or of not wanting to believe, in a manner that Anglophone Westerners use all the time in highly informal situations. To say "You did not" (the emphasis indicated by the italics is key for good colloquial delivery, and a grin helps; failing that, timing is essential ) is a cultural commonplace of what we could maybe call rough play, and there's no mystery about it. And, because it's rather childlike in tone, it's a milder indictment, a mere poke, than is saying flat-out that someone is a liar, and by contrast that is less likely to be mere play and usually requires a reckoning, for to call someone a liar - using that very word - is an insult no matter how true it may be. Although the two are close, and there are of course exceptions and gradations of nuance in all cases, so one has to be careful and pick one's battles with this one: best to use it only around those who are familiar with each other, and to a degree Internet acquaintance can suffice to fill the bill for that too. The intent of the phrase for adult usage had often better be jocular or ironic, for in the absence of actual knowledge it must be based either on mere incredulity or on an educated guess, which is the case here. But, it can backfire. As you can see, in my case apparently it did not, for my skin is intact so far (unless Ben is plotting a lovingly polished revenge ). For it to be least likely to backfire, again it's best to confine its use to one's friends, or to acquaintances of good will among whom such rough play is likely to be acceptable. I would never use it with a total stranger unless 1) we had somehow broken the ice enough and in the right way beforehand, 2) it was itself a calculated gambit to break the ice, or 3) I meant it in all seriousness, in which case I had better be in possession of the facts.

it was like you were channeling Steve Shaw!

The brilliant use of white space and run on sentences!

bravo!!!

an' I thought you were just accusing Ben of a literary ploy.... I need to get out more

[Nanohedron]

Gee, d'you think I have a future in lecturing antsy, bored freshmen?

an' I thought you were just accusing Ben of a literary ploy....

Gawd, sometimes I could just throttle you, Denny.

[Denny]

go for it!

Save me from more cleaning of stuff we've ignored for years just so we can pretend we're not who we are.

Please!!!

[Nanohedron]

I bow before you. Because frankly I'm too tired get it right now and don't know what else to do.

I'll face the hard light of your diamond clarity tomorrow. Nighty-night.

[Denny]

still light out


here

in 10 minutes it'll be midnight on the east coast....APoD will post tomorrow's pic....I'll copy bits of it to the pub...I'll fall over!

g'night yerself sir

[jemtheflute]

I wouldn't risk direct involvement here! But I can give a partial explanation of Ben's silence. The enviable Mr. Hall has fiddled/tootled his way off to Drumshanbo this week to do something constructive (stay up all night drinking Guinness for a week...).
I can, however, also reveal that in recent usage colloquial British English, "poncey" means "affected", "pretentious", "posy", etc. Apt enough in the present thread, perhaps? One might well refer to MF, at least in his stage persona, as "poncing about" in his role as the ITM equivalent of Liberace or Clayderman. (Neat return on-topic, huh? )

(edited for typos - another mobile-phone-posted message!)

[Denny]

ya don't say

[jemtheflute]

I do. All of it!
Moreover, on reflection it occurs to me that the usage of "poncey" I mentioned is current in and may well have originated in Aussie English, e.g. "You great whinging Pommie ponce" etc. to be heard at Ashes cricket matches...

[Denny]

*sigh*

[Nanohedron]

I can, however, also reveal that in recent usage colloquial British English, "poncey" means "affected", "pretentious", "posy", etc.

Y'know, everyone has to admit it sounds exactly just like what it means. AND it sounds British*, too. Brilliant!

(Neat return on-topic, huh? )

Here, I'll loan you my claque:






(*British, Aussie, whatever. We Yanks are still strying to make out the distinction on that one. )

[Nanohedron]

As for myself I use the word nexus when I am about to to write the word "connection" and I think that "nexus" is a quicker way.

While efficiency is commendable, in general discourse clarity and accessibility are preferable even if getting there takes more keystrokes. Just my opinion. And let those with an eye for irony take note.

Admittedly "link" has even less key strokes but the thing is "connection" leads me to "nexus" kind of automatically because the first word that came to my mind (connection) owes its origins to "nexus" as in "coNEXion".

The relationship between the two would not be forefront to most of our minds unless pointed out. It wasn't to mine, and while I did have an "Aha! Why, that's right" moment thanks to you, it was a little too late for good effect and so its efficiency was doubly thwarted, because standard usage counts, and "nexus" is not standard. When I hear "nexus", the first thing I think of is either some imagined astrological vagary that I have no idea about, or what I would like to name my next space ship. I would recommend that you use "link" instead if you really want to be efficient, and above all understood.

As Winston Churchill said when it comes to English usage, "Short words are best, and the old short words are best of all." Not that I follow that without fail, but I agree, and I try. The shorter ones - tending to be native, "nexus" aside - have better force anyway, and that includes poetic force.

I know that "ponce" means someone who lives off a prostitute's earnings but I have never knowingly had any interaction with ponces. Therefore I do not know whether "nexus" is a favoured word among them.

My self-assured guess (based on no direct experience, of course ) is that 1) taking into account the likely work environment it's definitely not, or 2) if you do hear "nexus" even at all, your chances for a good time will either be ludicrously expensive, strained to nonexistent, or both. At least in the States, anyway.

(Hey, Jem, neat return off-topic, huh? )

[Denny]

[Nanohedron]

That's pretty efficient.

Just to drag things kicking and screaming back on track (or anyway to be left bruised and panting in a heap by the side of it), if Flatley had named his show "The Sovereign of Terpsichore" it would have never gotten off the ground. Of the two, "Lord of the Dance" has undeniably better force and dignity by comparison. And you have to admit it's kinda sexy, being so dawn-of-time primal-sounding and all. The other, I am sorry to disappoint, is despite its erudition neither truly dignified nor sexy (do we need to even go there?) in the slightest. It's merely just flash, and that is poor coin.

IMHO, of course.