Bad analogies....
May. 13th, 2004 09:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
Saying idioms are a needless obstacle to communication is like saying synonyms have no purpose in language.
Don't you hate analogies that don't work? Let's examine this one.
Idioms are a needless obstacle to communication: This seems like a straightforward complaint against non-literal language. I disagree with the statement, because I think that which is needless is not likely to survive long in a language, but I understand the sentiment. And idioms ARE an obstacle to communication.
Synonyms have no purpose in language: Well, again, I disagree because if they had no purpose they wouldn't exist, but there's a problem. Saying that synonyms have no purpose in language is complaining about having more words than are strictly needed. That isn't the same about complaining that idioms are harder to understand.
Besides, people use idioms and synonyms for different reasons. Both are used for reasons of variety, but synonyms, to my mind, are also used for greater precision and accuracy: a mansion is a big house, a cottage is much smaller. Idioms don't clarify the language at all. What does "it's raining cats and dogs" mean that can't be more simply put "it's raining a lot" or "it's raining too hard to see" or "it's a deluge"? In fact, I'd say the idiom doesn't really express any of that clearly, that the supposed range of "cats and dogs" goes too wide to be accurate or precise at all.
And, small note, bitching that you don't understand how idioms can be called "hard to understand" is a good way to get me mocking you. Do you really want me telling you all the ways you're wrong?
Don't you hate analogies that don't work? Let's examine this one.
Idioms are a needless obstacle to communication: This seems like a straightforward complaint against non-literal language. I disagree with the statement, because I think that which is needless is not likely to survive long in a language, but I understand the sentiment. And idioms ARE an obstacle to communication.
Synonyms have no purpose in language: Well, again, I disagree because if they had no purpose they wouldn't exist, but there's a problem. Saying that synonyms have no purpose in language is complaining about having more words than are strictly needed. That isn't the same about complaining that idioms are harder to understand.
Besides, people use idioms and synonyms for different reasons. Both are used for reasons of variety, but synonyms, to my mind, are also used for greater precision and accuracy: a mansion is a big house, a cottage is much smaller. Idioms don't clarify the language at all. What does "it's raining cats and dogs" mean that can't be more simply put "it's raining a lot" or "it's raining too hard to see" or "it's a deluge"? In fact, I'd say the idiom doesn't really express any of that clearly, that the supposed range of "cats and dogs" goes too wide to be accurate or precise at all.
And, small note, bitching that you don't understand how idioms can be called "hard to understand" is a good way to get me mocking you. Do you really want me telling you all the ways you're wrong?
