tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31830497.post1425279517211281159..comments2024-02-28T05:25:12.859-05:00Comments on English, Jack: Oil-mice and headless nounsBretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02870575277556244419noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31830497.post-60512120073020659632008-08-11T07:47:00.000-05:002008-08-11T07:47:00.000-05:00You may be right, outerhoard. In Words and Rules, ...You may be right, outerhoard. In <I>Words and Rules</I>, Pinker actually does address this issue. When discussing the computer pointing device, he says, "The root of mouse, the pointing device, is indubitably mouse the rodent, and the word is based on a transparent metaphor that should allow the irregular plural to bubble up unscathed."<BR/><BR/>But he gives a different explanation for the basketball team, the Timberwolves. Here, he says, the whole team was named as a pack so that we're working from plural to singular rather than sing-pl. He also points out that the team members of sports teams are "metaphorically identified with some referent".Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02870575277556244419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31830497.post-33709171037979892422008-08-08T19:14:00.000-05:002008-08-08T19:14:00.000-05:00Isn't it simply a question of metaphor? A low-life...Isn't it simply a question of metaphor? A low-life isn't in any obvious way even metaphorically a type of life, but an oil-mouse might well make speakers think of actual mice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com