Home » Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Discussion Forum (Archived)

Please consider registering
Guest
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
The forums are currently locked and only available for read only access
sp_TopicIcon
What do you call a man...
nelgin
27 Posts
(Offline)
1
2013/06/28 - 11:42am

who lives off government subsidies?

 

 

Guest
2
2013/06/28 - 4:09pm
If American, he's a baby boomer.
If English, he's Royalty.
If French, he's a Frenchman.
If Russian, he's the permanent guest at the Siberia Ritz.
If Chinese, he's a street beggar.
Guest
3
2013/06/29 - 3:54am

Robert makes a good point, if tongue-in-cheek. I can't think of a generic term, perhaps because the variety of sources, types of subsidies, and natures of the subsidy programs, contributory or not. Generally, I would call them an xyz recipient, where xyz is the name of the subsidy: a Medicaid recipient; a welfare recipient; a Social Security recipient; a food-stamp recipient. These terms would vary widely from government to government.

Guest
4
2013/06/29 - 10:24am

Loved RobertB's response. Sounds like the "punchline" to a well-rehearsed riddle. Glenn's response makes perfect sense, but cites only specific examples in the form of "XYZ recipient." For a general term, which is what I think nelgin was looking for, wouldn't beneficiary   work? Or if that's a bit too general, government beneficiary ?

 

nelgin
27 Posts
(Offline)
5
2013/07/01 - 9:26am

Grant, of course 😉

 

(I hope he finds the humour in that one!)

nelgin
27 Posts
(Offline)
6
2013/07/07 - 2:05pm

...well I thought it was funny!

Guest
7
2013/07/08 - 10:11am

Disappointed. Was hoping for a trove of what do you call a man with no arms and no legs jokes.

e.g.

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs hanging on a wall? Art

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs in a mailbox? Bill

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs on the front step? Matt

 

etc etc.

 

Guest
8
2013/07/09 - 3:16am

Who can be a vegetarian and be (rightly) called a meat eater ?

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
9
2013/07/09 - 9:12am

RobertB said

Who can be a vegetarian and be (rightly) called a meat eater ?

A Yeoman Warder?

Guest
10
2013/07/09 - 9:51am

RobertB said: [what do you call a man] Who can be a vegetarian and be (rightly) called a meat eater ?

I was thinking "omnivore" since an omnivore can still pick and choose between plants and meats for sustenance, depending on personal choice or necessity. An omnivore has the biological capacity to digest and use either, which is how the term is defined.

 

Guest
11
2013/07/09 - 2:47pm

That is scientifically correct, but I am looking for Her Majesty's Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London, popularly called Beefeaters.

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
12
2013/07/10 - 2:05pm

EmmettRedd said

RobertB said
Who can be a vegetarian and be (rightly) called a meat eater ?

A Yeoman Warder?

While waiting for confirmation, I also thought of all of the people before the Flood who were following God's permissive will: Genesis 1:29 (well, the KJV meaning of 'meat').

Guest
13
2013/07/11 - 5:12pm

"...I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree which is the fruit of a yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."

So you're saying whatever a person's  diet will be after the command ('shall'), it can be called a 'meat' diet. How apt.

 
Also there is a possibility that 'meat' is symbolic of general sustenance, more than just vegetables or meats, or even food: 'for meat,' not 'your meat' or just 'meat.' It also almost sounds like the harvests shall be used to raise livestock for meat.
nelgin
27 Posts
(Offline)
14
2013/07/12 - 10:37am

ajnilson said
Disappointed. Was hoping for a trove of what do you call a man with no arms and no legs jokes.

Yeah, I was hopeful of that too. Thanks for providing a few for us.  

 

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
15
2013/07/14 - 5:57pm

RobertB said

"...I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree which is the fruit of a yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
So you're saying whatever a person's  diet will be after the command ('shall'), it can be called a 'meat' diet. How apt.

 
Also there is a possibility that 'meat' is symbolic of general sustenance, more than just vegetables or meats, or even food: 'for meat,' not 'your meat' or just 'meat.' It also almost sounds like the harvests shall be used to raise livestock for meat.

Most other versions simply translate 'food'. That is the reason I mentioned the 'KJV meaning of meat'. I allow for significant shifts in meaning over the last 400 years.

To further illustrate that the Bible is just talking about vegetables or meats (animal flesh), here is the KJV Genesis 9:3 permission given to Noah after the Flood, "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

Emmett

Forum Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Show Stats
Administrators:
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Moderators:
Grant Barrett
Top Posters:
Newest Members:
Mike Brock
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 1
Topics: 3647
Posts: 18912

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 618
Members: 1266
Moderators: 1
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 1147
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 19
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Recent posts