Re: USAGE: "each other" vs. "each ... the other"

--- Tristan McLeay <zsau@...> wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Dec 2003 jcowan@REUTERSHEALTH.COM wrote:
>
> > Christophe Grandsire scripsit:
> >
> > > >It is illogical on its face: if A is in front
> of B, B cannot be in front
> > > >of A, assuming a single reference frame.
> > >
> > > Why should you?
> >
> > English just does.  It's interesting that "each is
> in front of the other"
> > is unexceptionable (though unidiomatic), but "they
> are in front of each
> > other" sounds paradoxical: a difference of scope,
> I suppose.
> >
> > Would you also say, in the case of two standing
> back to back, that they
> > are behind each other?  If I read "Each man walked
> behind the other",
> > I would think the author has blundered, and would
> correct it to "One
> > man walked behind the other"; i.e. front to back
> in the ordinary way.
>
> One fine day in the middle of the night,
> Two dead men got up to fight.
> [Something about blind men to judge and a mute to
> shout harrah! that
> I've only heard once.]
> Back to back they faced each other,
> Drew their swords and shot each other.
>
I remember a slightly different versin of the same
poem:

One bright morning in the middle of the night
Two dumb brothers got up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other,
Drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
Came and arrested those two dumb boys.

Now THAT would make an interesting translation
exercise.  How well can your conlang handle logical
absurdities?

Adam

> --
> Tristan their swords and shot each other.
>
> --
> Tristan

=====
Fached il prori ul pañeveju mutu chu djul atexindu.
-- Carrajena proverb

Reply