tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post811487873636288623..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: In praise of phraseLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-84734766647218495102014-08-22T15:23:43.627-04:002014-08-22T15:23:43.627-04:00Regarding dogs and hunting, the idiom I recall usi...Regarding dogs and hunting, the idiom I recall using that particular combination is, "That dog won't hunt," meaning that a particularly theory or line of inquiry is a dead end.James Lincoln Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09666160495434980653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-25990053629220197512014-08-21T12:43:42.090-04:002014-08-21T12:43:42.090-04:00Melodie. Huh. I guess they dont have dogs up the...Melodie. Huh. I guess they dont have dogs up there.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-29990095623199069512014-08-21T10:14:17.059-04:002014-08-21T10:14:17.059-04:00Rob, I was smiling through this. But you make som...Rob, I was smiling through this. But you make some excellent points, particularly about those two-box comparison quotes. <br />And Fran, I think age and location may indeed be important. I was personally stumped by "I don't have a dog in that ____" Never heard the expression before. Could this be because I am Canadian?Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-71683763557482936782014-08-20T23:56:35.154-04:002014-08-20T23:56:35.154-04:00Zeke Hoskin pointed out "don't have a dog...Zeke Hoskin pointed out "don't have a dog in that HUNT" comes up even more often in Google. Never heard that one.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-49516349326542959932014-08-20T18:51:40.235-04:002014-08-20T18:51:40.235-04:00Yes, Leigh, and sinister, as I understand it, is L...Yes, Leigh, and sinister, as I understand it, is Latin for "left". I'm beginning to feel unwanted.Herschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-24170186177388334792014-08-20T13:58:41.729-04:002014-08-20T13:58:41.729-04:00Herschel, that's even true in other languages....Herschel, that's even true in other languages. Our words from the French, adroit and gauche, literally mean 'to the right' and 'left'.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-18050101920854975512014-08-20T12:45:57.049-04:002014-08-20T12:45:57.049-04:00Rob, as a lefthander I am all too familiar with th...Rob, as a lefthander I am all too familiar with the word "left" being used in a negative way. Two left feet. Out of left field. If you are correct, you are "right", not "left". One gets "left" behind. The position of honor is on the right. <br /><br />I could go on, but you get the point. That being said, I answered "left" to your quiz.Herschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-19529758763814184762014-08-20T11:43:05.352-04:002014-08-20T11:43:05.352-04:00Great column. I love this kind of thing.
By the ...Great column. I love this kind of thing.<br /><br />By the way, I would nail my flag to the left-handed fight. I agree, back-handed and race somehow don't sound as good.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-55367020246867876182014-08-20T11:40:34.072-04:002014-08-20T11:40:34.072-04:00Rob, fun with phrases.
Like Dale and Dix, my thoug...Rob, fun with phrases.<br />Like Dale and Dix, my thoughts turned to Rudyard Kipling's Gunga Din for carrying water.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-81849465382790482962014-08-20T11:34:48.222-04:002014-08-20T11:34:48.222-04:00Ah, Dale thinks you ARE carrying water ... evident...Ah, Dale thinks you ARE carrying water ... evidently as a "Regimental Bhisti." Which is where I'd always thought the phrase originated -- with Europeans using "native bearers" (a practice unfortunately akin, and sometimes identical to, slavery) -- though I'm hardly knowledgeable in such etymological realms. Thus, you're probably right.<br /><br />My favorite "nail the flag to the mast" story is during John Paul Jones's fight between his Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis.<br /><br />Great column, Rob!<br />--DixonDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-32470106564718650182014-08-20T11:29:09.253-04:002014-08-20T11:29:09.253-04:00Correction: I don't agree with the misquotes;...Correction: I don't agree with the misquotes; I agree with your condemnation of them.Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-18622095302748946022014-08-20T11:28:27.144-04:002014-08-20T11:28:27.144-04:00Rob, I wonder if the answers to the pop quiz are r...Rob, I wonder if the answers to the pop quiz are related to age or location. Mine were the same as yours: fight and left. I agree wholeheartedly with quotes attributed to people who never said or wrote them.<br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-46807173504239707852014-08-20T10:58:31.501-04:002014-08-20T10:58:31.501-04:00Nice piece, Gunga Din!Nice piece, Gunga Din!Dale Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10553503281187956955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-91856792107343139612014-08-20T08:42:09.862-04:002014-08-20T08:42:09.862-04:00Fascinating...in so many words. :-)Fascinating...in so many words. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com