Googling and "egg-sucking" (was Re: "Toy" computers...) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

2 May 2002

...
  Date: Wed, 1 May 2002 19:52:05 -0500 (CDT)
 From: Doc &lt;doc(a)mdrconsult.com&gt;
 To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
 Subject: Re: Googling and "egg-sucking" (was Re: "Toy" computers...)
 In-Reply-To: <3CD004D7.3282.A8CC01B@localhost>

 On Wed, 1 May 2002, Stan Sieler wrote:
  and, re:
  Hey, guys.  Simplify.  A Google search on the
phrase "suck eggs" leads
 to a clear explanation of the historical use of the phrase, dating
 back to the 16th century in English, and older in other languages.

 < http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-tea1.htm > 
 Nice try, but it doesn't address what I think most people are interested
 in learning about (for that phrase, anyway :) ... sucking eggs.
 It address, instead, the concept of teaching people something they
 already know. 
   Well, I dunno what most people are interested in learning about, but I
 know that referral to "teaching people something they already know" was
 the point of my original use of the phrase. 
I thought people on this list were interested in historical stuff.
An investigation into the antiquity of the expression seemed appropriate.
On the same Web page one finds a much more antique version of the same
idea in Latin, which can be translated as "Don't teach a fish to swim".

    carl
-- 
        carl lowenstein   marine physical lab   u.c. san diego
                                          clowenstein(a)ucsd.edu