Please see comments embedded below.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: allisonp <allisonp(a)world.std.com>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2000 7:39 PM
Subject: Re: !Re: Nuke Redmond!
>Your defense is unnecessary, since it's only
by coincidence that I
happened
No defense, more a commentary on how much fun language can be.
This particular expression is use so much without
a thought as to its
actual
>meaning. I'm not entirely certain how the term slough became associated
>with an indeterminate but large number, but that seems to be what is
meant.
>I guess it started with someone referring to ducks
or frogs or
mosquitoes.
There is that. My experience is the term "slew rate" commonly associated
with op-amps.
Yes, but that's a rate of change with units and everything! In "a whole
slew of ..." it is a qualitative reference to a quantifiable value.
Now the common use, slew meaning a whole lot of them is more in the
realm of slang and something I am accustomed to.
Yes, I saw that. It's a tertiary definition in the '71 Webster, but may
have been promoted due to changes in usage in the intervening decades. The
dictionary that was my reference when I learned the language
So the juxtapostion of delta, large quantiry and also quagmire in that
statement was subtle good humor. Then again I enjoy Samual Clements
and his style of writing as well.
Allison