Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

If anyone Irish, Scottish or otherwise is going to seriously suggest that "aligned" there means "the same as", then I am going to seriously put forward the idea that I'm Father Christmas.

I would suggest 'aligned' means 'close enough as to not seriously conflict with'. But not 'identical or 'the same'.

[Lat-Literal]

I would suggest 'aligned' means 'close enough as to not seriously conflict with'. But not 'identical or 'the same'.

Well, yes, I certainly don't disagree but it doesn't have to be primarily framed within the context of conflict or a lack of it.

Whether two pieces fit well together as per the definition could be assessed according to them forming a coherent picture.

(or cohesive - I'm never quite sure on the uses of coherent and cohesive)

[ardcarp]

The French refer to prehistoric standing stones, such as those at Carnac, as 'alignements'.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alignements_de_Carnac

I guess political alignements' are just as higgledy-piggledy and their purposes just as opaque. But it's an expression that can be tossed into a meeting to make everyone feel better. Like 'moving forward'.

[french frank]

Whether two pieces fit well together as per the definition could be assessed according to them forming a coherent picture.

Is there a cigarette paper's gap between 'forming a coherent picture' and not conflicting or not being incompatible with'? If so, I would go with the meaning 'not incompatible with'. But the main difference would be whether two (or more ) things have been deliberately set in line to form this coherent picture, or whether they fall naturally in line to fit well.

[Lat-Literal]

Is there a cigarette paper's gap between 'forming a coherent picture' and not conflicting or not being incompatible with'? If so, I would go with the meaning 'not incompatible with'. But the main difference would be whether two (or more ) things have been deliberately set in line to form this coherent picture, or whether they fall naturally in line to fit well.

One conveys a constructive working from the outset towards a common objective and the other that the starting point is like being required to tread on eggshells.

But I prefer "not being incompatible with" - an addition - to "not conflicting with".

The French refer to prehistoric standing stones, such as those at Carnac, as 'alignements'.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alignements_de_Carnac

I guess political alignements' are just as higgledy-piggledy and their purposes just as opaque. But it's an expression that can be tossed into a meeting to make everyone feel better. Like 'moving forward'.

But they are in approximately straight lines.

[french frank]

But I prefer "not being incompatible with" - an addition - to "not conflicting with".

OED says that 'to conflict' means 'to be be at variance, incompatible'. That was the sense it which I used 'conflict'.

I.e. there is nothing in one which is disallowed by the other, even if not specificially included.

[Lat-Literal]

OED says that 'to conflict' means 'to be be at variance, incompatible'. That was the sense it which I used 'conflict'.

I.e. there is nothing in one which is disallowed by the other, even if not specificially included.

Yes, fine, but the context in which this was raised is one where every word of the language is regarded as highly significant and the word "conflict" was for many years an appendage to "Northern Ireland". I see that Davis has tried to pursue the precise route I recommended since I wrote - that regulatory alignment could conceivably at this stage apply to all of the country and can be met by a variety of regulatory approaches. The question is "what wording would suit if not that wording?" "Complimentary?" "Regulation acceptable to all parties?"

Enda Kenny has warned the Irish Government to tame its own wording and he has implied that it will need to be flexible. The leader of the DUP has recorded one charity single and may think she has the time for another but she hasn't and nor has anyone else. I suspect that the DUP need to get back to 10 Downing Street pronto if they don't want a united Ireland courtesy of Mr Corbyn. And Eire might wish to think on the £3.2 billion plus - what - £10 billion in interest? - that the current Government may wish to call in immediately before it falls.

[Padraig]

It's another example of 'creative ambiguity', Lat, that we saw happening yesterday.

Forgive me, Lat, I missed out on a whole section of your argument when I made the above redundant observation. Wild horses would not draw me in to the current discussion. But... do carry on!!

[Lat-Literal]

Forgive me, Lat, I missed out on a whole section of your argument when I made the above redundant observation. Wild horses would not draw me in to the current discussion. But... do carry on!!

We are still on the need for creative ambiguity - though not "far too much" - in order to carry on.

I now favour "complimentary regulation".

Other suggestions would be welcome.

[french frank]

and the word "conflict" was for many years an appendage to "Northern Ireland"

It was indeed a common adjunct, but if I may quibble, the word I was using is stressed on the second syllable. In the N. Ireland context 'conflict' is stressed on the first. Meanings of noun and verb have now have somewhat diverged. A quote from Shelley, 1822, seems to be the most recent example of the verb being associated with 'fight' or 'struggle' (and even that might be poetic archaism). The 'chief sense' [sic] of the verb now is that of being at variance or incompatible.

[jean]

I now favour "complimentary regulation".

Other suggestions would be welcome.

Complementary, perhaps?

Jon Pienaar discusses the meaning of alignment in today's WATO, from 20 mins. in. It's not harmonisation, he says, but it might signify that things coincide.

[Lat-Literal]

Complementary, perhaps?

Jon Pienaar discusses the meaning of alignment in today's WATO, from 20 mins. in. It's not harmonisation, he says, but it might signify that things coincide.

Yes - thank you.

Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics congratulated the winner of the quiz who lives in Wisbech. Neil pronounced it Wisbeck. No one in the studio or the backroom team put him right. According to the Grauniad, Tim Farron has said "Davis needs to go. He has mislead Parliament." That should be misled rather than mislead. This might be the age when everyone holds each other's "feet to the fire" but solid countries have a political and media class with the strongest grasp of English. None of this sort of thing happened with Churchill and Reith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc9Ww3rmT7I

(Those dark satantic mills as we knowingly sang as a wind up in our bog standard state primary school at age 7)

[teamsaint]

When, using as a noun, would you use divide rather than division ?

[vinteuil]

When, using as a noun, would you use divide rather than division ?

... in part II of the Grand Pianola Music.


.

[jean]

I would use it if I wanted to talk about

...the red trace running along the spine of the mountains [from] Alaska to South America:

...or more generally, any major hydrological divide or topographical divide separating ocean draining watersheds...

Or anything else in the article.