Comments on: What'd he say?

What'd he say?

rusty — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:29:44 -0800

"Comrades! As we clip our belts and prepare to cleave our forces for the difficult anabasis ahead, never forget the dike that is our ultimate goal. Remain here, unbending, until morning. But when the call goes out, be fast! Consult not your copemates, for such oversight shall screen our transparent objectives. And finally, never forget we have aught to lose!" --General Antonin Contronym [More Inside]

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:31:04 -0800

Unfortunately, the ensuing military action was an unmitigated disaster. Some forces joined up and advanced on a nearby seawall, while others separated and retreated by way of a handy drainage ditch. Many in both groups proceeded fully clothed, but quite a few were observed with pants flapping around their ankles. Survivors complained that a night of unbroken vigilance left them unprepared for the quick movement demanded on the following day, while yet others claimed that they had been ordered to relax overnight, and stay at their posts come morning. Records kept by the enemy are even less enlightening. Some captured spies refused to speak at all, while others volunteered copious information about their general's plans. None of the information collected, however, squared with anyone else's claims. A subsequent military investigation was rife with contentious claims both for and against General Contronym. Its report ultimately concluded that the leadership was "chuffed" with the General, pronouncing him "deceptively smart," and ordering that he be "flogged before the public as an example."

By: samuelad

samuelad — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:36:32 -0800

That's one mean post, rusty.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:37:00 -0800

Thanks, rusty. I remember the Car Talk guys going on about these, but didn't know they had a name (I assume Tom & Ray didn't either). One of theirs that's not on the list is sanction.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:38:40 -0800

by some freak of language evolution, are their own antonyms. Words that pancake themselves, thanks Rusty.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:39:42 -0800

Rusty uses his handicap well.

By: kurumi

kurumi — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:46:34 -0800

The Computer Contradictionary, by Stan Kelly-Bootle, has a list of auto-antonyms (aka "Janus words"). None of these appear to be online, though. Also, more of these at http://www.psc.edu/~burkardt/wordplay/autoanto.html

By: davidmsc

davidmsc — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:48:41 -0800

Word fun -- always engaging. Thanks.

By: fedextruck

fedextruck — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:49:56 -0800

You want Cleavisms? Check out the "Ascend/Descend" buttons of any page on CLEAVE , the people who brought you Metaphilm (Aargh!) Also, see the word "bolt" and the following: Ø Chuffed Ø Dust Ø Inflammable Ø Inhabitable Ø Inscient Ø Left Ø Let Ø Overlook Ø Peruse Ø Pink Ø Presently Ø Quite Ø Ravel Ø Rock Ø Sanction Ø Scan Ø Seed Ø Trip Ø Vapulate

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:05:39 -0800

I think my head is going to explode from joy. A well written FPP, Rusty!

By: stupidsexyFlanders

stupidsexyFlanders — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:05:43 -0800

Who in Congress has oversight over these?

By: davros42

davros42 — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:21:39 -0800

Nice post

By: DevilsAdvocate

DevilsAdvocate — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:22:06 -0800

Not exactly a contronym, but somewhat related (and I'm not sure what they're called, if they even have a name): two words that can be either synonyms or antonyms depending on their usage. E.g., cause and effect. (Antonyms when used as nouns; synonyms when used as verbs.)

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:30:07 -0800

What's always puzzled me is that both cleave and hew are contronyms in precisely the same way with identical contradictory meanings. Both can mean either to separate by cutting or to "hold closely to". A very odd effect of language.

By: anastasiav

anastasiav — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 13:47:08 -0800

Rusty, I think I love you.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 14:38:58 -0800

rusty = fresh

By: 4easypayments

4easypayments — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:18:40 -0800

rinky-dink - insignificant, one who frequents RinkWorks

By: mattpfeff

mattpfeff — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 18:11:26 -0800

In contemporary slang of course there are words like "bad", too. The best though (I think) has got to be "funky" -- great when it comes to anything artistic, but horrifyingly awful when referring to odors, tastes or (worst) bodily processes.... (You can even say something like, "The music was funky, but the smell was too" -- using both meanings of the word at the same time -- which you can't do with almost any of the other contronyms. It's wack, yo!)

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 18 Sep 2003 20:38:11 -0800

mattpfeff: And what if you say "That DJ was funky!" :-)