Hatrack River Forum: The exception that proves the rule

This is topic The exception that proves the rule in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

I don't totally understand this concept. And I don't think I've ever seen a specific example that's cleared it up for me, or proven it so to speak.

So if anyone can help me wrap my head around this one, or give me an example of one, I'd be most appreciative.

Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :

http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-exc1.htm

Posted by ginette (Member # 852) on :

Carl Gustav Jung, Synchroniciteit .

(Not that I understand it after reading it but it does give a clue)

Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

ahhh...Thanks Kayla. While he did lose me there for a bit in the middle, I do understand this:

quote:
So, in its strict sense, the principle is arguing that the existence of an allowed exception to a rule reaffirms the existence of the rule.

Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

quote:
We think of it as meaning some case that doesn’t follow the rule, but the original sense was of someone or something that is granted permission not to follow a rule that otherwise applies.

i think this is where my problem was. I couldn't figure how finding something that didn't follow a rule, proved that very rule.

I was looking at it the wrong way...

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

The idea behind the phrase is that no rule made by man is ever 100% accurate. There will always be an exception/

For example, Men like football more than woman is a rule of life. My wife loves football. I find it boring. That is the exception that proves the rule.

Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

Dan, isn't the way you just used it there the incorrect usage of the phrase?

how does that exception prove the rule?

wouldn't that only work if the rule was "Men like football more than women, except for Dan and his wife(because Dan is a girly man [Razz]

)

in your case, every woman who likes football more than a man is an exception that proves that rule. That doesn't make sense.

[ August 25, 2003, 05:38 PM: Message edited by: Sho'nuff ]

Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

or am I still looking at it wrong?

Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :

You know, it was explained quite well in the link. [Razz]

Posted by Sho'nuff (Member # 3214) on :

bah...I've lost the will to care!

[Razz]

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

But since the meaning of exception in the original context of the phrase is now obsolete, why didn't the phrase drop out of use as well?

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

You expect too much of the English language to assume that obsolete phrases or usages will be weeded out. That's just not how language generally works...

Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :

Especially not English, which is a crazy blend of Romance and Germanic languages.

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Actually, a crazy blend of Nordic, Germanic, Latin, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, AmerIndian languages...

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

It's a crazy blend is all... Nothing else to say than that.