Subject: Re: [HM] "exception that PROVES the rule"
From: Romulo Lins (romlins@rc.unesp.br)
Date: Wed Mar 01 2000 - 14:04:40 EST
Dear list members,
I cannot add much to what has been said, except to offer a colleague's
remark that Julio's phrase in fact corresponds to
"the exception that confirms the rule THAT ALL RULES HAVE EXCEPTIONS"
the latter being, of course, an ill-formulated rule as it allows for
self-reference. 'Confirm' then has the (usual for us) 'prove' meaning.
It would be interesting to know whether, for some reason, when 'prove'
entered English language from old French only one meaning, ie 'testing',
was imported. That would make Landau's point. Otherwise I would stand
with my colleague's suggestion.
All the best
Romulo
PS: in Portuguese students take 'provas' and not 'tests'!
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