Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Sentence Construction

Caveat: I am not sure this is interesting or makes any sense...

A sentence I wrote and like:

"It would be a scruple more genteel if I avoid thwacking into him now".

Here's the unpacking:

Scruple = measurement of size (small but significant) which because of the other meaning of "scruple" connotes an ethical position that is informing the later verb "avoid" (in a back of the mind kind of way) adding a sense that the avoiding is not out of laziness or convenience, rather with good intent.

Genteel = better for all in a well meaning way, sensitive and sincere - not merely utilitarian, more than that.

Thwacking = running into someone inadvertently as in a chance encounter which "thwack" suggests would be a metaphorical bumping of heads resulting from the misunderstanding and slightly hurt feelings that arise when you run into someone who specifically said they would not be where you are when you run into them so feels like they were trying to be avoided for some reason. "Thwack" - slightly funny - even if you do bump heads it will not be taken too seriously (still better to avoid the thwacking if possible).

Now re read sentence.... does this make any sense?

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