Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcsla.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!hoxna!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west From: west@sdcsla.UUCP (Larry West) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Semantic Reversals Message-ID: <804@sdcsla.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 03:00:24 EST Article-I.D.: sdcsla.804 Posted: Wed Feb 27 03:00:24 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 1-Mar-85 20:28:55 EST References: <258@unm-cvax.UUCP> <486@ptsfa.UUCP> <22060@arizona.UUCP> Reply-To: west@sdcsla.UUCP (Larry West) Organization: UC San Diego: Institute for Cognitive Science Lines: 24 Summary: Another interpretation, plus a general query In article <22060@arizona.UUCP> gary@arizona.UUCP (Gary Marc Levin) writes: >> One curious semantic reversal occurs in the expression: >> The exception proves the rule. >> Rob Bernardo, Pacific Bell, San Francisco, California > >Actually there are two reversals in the phrase. "exception" only >meant "unusual", not "not covered". The sentence really is a reminder >to use boundary cases when testing programs. > >(I seem to remember going to a lot of effort once to find the history >of all this. It may just be folk-etymology on my part. Still, makes >more sense than the usual "modern" reading of the sentence.) Another simple reading of this is that the exception to the rule is what brings to light (or underscores) the fact that there is a rule. That is, you don't realize there is a rule at all until you come across something which violates it. Does anyone know of a etymology (i.e., a book) of idioms? -- -- Larry West, UC San Diego, Institute for Cognitive Science -- UUCP: {decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west -- ARPA: west@NPRDC { NOT: }