Conundrum (EMMA BOARD message #2026)

Conundrum

REPLIES - POST REPLY - EMMA BOARD - FAQ - HOME - Q

Posted by Mitch on October 02, 1997 at 21:36:03:

In response to Otay..., written by Laraine on October 02, 1997 at 10:15:35

] ] ...I personally would only see Mr. Weston's statement as a pun. If it were "a contradiction in terms" wouldn't he be unbelievably rude?

] ] ...simple Miss Bates would see the meaning of Emma's thoughtless yet witty remark, and yet Emma doesn't get the tweak in Mr. Weston's equally thoughtless remark? Certainly Mr. Weston wouldn't say something rude on purpose...but the appropriateness of such an inadvertant shot sounds very Austen....

]

] If we can agree that Mr. Weston doesn't say something rude on purpose, then we can agree that the other meaning of conundrum could be there. My point was that it isn't in character for Mr. Weston to be chiding Emma that way.

] Have you checked the OED for usage dates on both meanings, Traci?

For what it's worth the 1828 Websters dictionary defines it as "A low jest" which fits with what Frank says about a conundrum rating low.

REPLIES:

That works...(NFM) Kali 01:08:57 10/03/97 (0)

Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.