Positively Seeking Orphaned/Unpaired Negatives.

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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

:lol:
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

The list is longer, but we must not let that debilitate us as we continue to seek satisfactory semantic solutions to this puzzle of lonely negatives.

Don't be weakened. Remain resolute researchers.

I guess I am feeling alliterative today in this effort to be more literate. :roll:

Keep 'em coming.
--Algot
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

restrain (As in hold back, not re-strain a muscle)
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

Reply
Return
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Inadvertently, I have neglected to acknowledge the thoughtful contributions of umsolopagas, Kvetch, gollum, spiphany, tollbaby, and gpackin, to the discussion so far. Herewith, I rectify that unseemly oversight. I am, while overseeing this effort, not overlooking "the grim squeaker" who is our top contributor to this point.

Lest you view the language here to be overdone, this comment is now over; done!

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
mccormack44
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Post by mccormack44 »

Somehow or other I just noticed this thread, so I'm very late with this: much earlier, someone questioned the use of clement in contrast to unclement. I HAVE heard (or read?) clement in connection with the weather (which is also where I apply inclement). If it truly is "I heard," inclement would not count, but if it is "I read" — who knows? I read English from Chaucer to modern Romances (which are often placed in medieval times — and thus use old usages). I read may fail to support the use of the word "clement."

Sue
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

I have been resisting the urge to use search engines for more answers, but I am currently struggling to think of any more.
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Is there any current usage in Scotland for canny?
The reference I saw implied that this mid 17th century word might still be used there.

Otherwise, I would suggest adding uncanny to the list. Here in the U.S., uncanny stands weirdly, perhaps supernaturally, unpaired in routine use.

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
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spiphany
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Post by spiphany »

mccormack44 wrote:...much earlier, someone questioned the use of clement in contrast to unclement. I HAVE heard (or read?) clement in connection with the weather (which is also where I apply inclement). If it truly is "I heard," inclement would not count, but if it is "I read" — who knows? I read English from Chaucer to modern Romances (which are often placed in medieval times — and thus use old usages).
The noun -- clemency -- is at any rate sometimes used in religious or juridical contexts in the sense of "showing mercy". I can't recall having heard the adjective used but, like Sue, I'm familiar with it as a word.
IPHIGENIE: Kann uns zum Vaterland die Fremde werden?
ARKAS: Und dir ist fremd das Vaterland geworden.
IPHIGENIE: Das ist's, warum mein blutend Herz nicht heilt.
(Goethe, Iphigenie auf Tauris)
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tollbaby
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Post by tollbaby »

Canny is still used in modern parlance in Canada, dunno about Scotland.
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Thank you, tollbaby. Now whether the weather is clement or foul, I'll not be troubled that this list excludes uncanny.

I suppose, too, that you will be able to console me if disconsolate is disallowed. I shall be cheerless and gloomy for at least -- minutes, though.

The world will be temporarily out of kilter for me. Just how long must I wait until it is in kilter again?

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
susan sto helit
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Post by susan sto helit »

Hello. Can you use more than one word?

What is your view on nevermore?
Silliness is the ground state of being.
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Can I use two words?

I'll...try! :D

That is a fair question, susan. I would say generally, that the orphaned/unpaired negatives would be single words, but off kilter called out to me. I will expunge it from consideration if that is the will of the group.

"Nevermore" does have the word "more" as a positive, meaning again as: "Let's do it some more."

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

Re-vamp
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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tollbaby
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Post by tollbaby »

I thought we were looking for negatives... It's still driving me CRAZY that I haven't remembered the one I thought of the other day :( I'm positive it was an orphaned negative.
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Revamp: Looked up at Dictionary.com
1850, from re- "again" + vamp "patch up, replace the upper front part of a shoe" (see vamp (v.)).

Negative. No! Not!
Sorry, so sad, too bad.

How positive must we be that the negative is even negative?
"The check is in the post?"
Perhaps the first check should be in the dictionary. :wink:

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

:slap:
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
mccormack44
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Post by mccormack44 »

clement

I found this as I was reading last night:
"…Such a lovely evening — at least the weather was quite clement. A delightful change from Connecticut. … "

Found in Deadly Valentine—a Death on Demand mystery by Carolyn G. Hart, copyright 1990.

The thing that I find MOST interesting about this is that I wouldn't have noticed the word except for this discussion.

Sue
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Should we allow into our lovable list of lonely negative words, words that come to us whole from another language, but for which we don't have the positive incorporated?

Two examples that seem promising:
Abstain
Abrogate

Let the power of the people decide.

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
mccormack44
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Post by mccormack44 »

I'd vote yes to the other language idea; isn't that what we're doing with unkempt? I thought "kempt" was anglo-saxon. BTW, "unkempt" is one of my very favorites; I'm sorry Algot Runeman (and World-Wide Words) got there first.

I can't seem to think of anything to add, but I'm still trying.

Sue
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

Ill back up Sto Helit on this one, what is the rule on words? Off kilter=2, what is the limit?
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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spiphany
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Post by spiphany »

Algot Runeman wrote:Should we allow into our lovable list of lonely negative words, words that come to us whole from another language, but for which we don't have the positive incorporated?
I'm not sure what you mean, since most of the words already suggested here are Latinate in origin. (This is typical of English vocabulary -- most of it is borrowed.) The only words which are arguably "native" would be words that are Germanic in origin -- and even that is rather complicated, because Anglo-Saxon (i.e., Old English) and Danish vocabulary have gotten mixed together and are often difficult to distinguish.
IPHIGENIE: Kann uns zum Vaterland die Fremde werden?
ARKAS: Und dir ist fremd das Vaterland geworden.
IPHIGENIE: Das ist's, warum mein blutend Herz nicht heilt.
(Goethe, Iphigenie auf Tauris)
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

spiphany,

When I began thinking about this particular word play, lying awake between two and four A.M. after escaping to wakefulness from a nightmare, I guess the first words that bubbled into my thoughts were ones that had a positive that just wasn't in common use or had become archaic. (Getting my mind off the nightmare is important, since I often sink back to sleep and pick up in the middle of the nightmare, too.)

English absorbs words from all sorts of other languages. As you pointed out, the Romans occupation of England gave us much of our language's roots. I love the resulting richness of English, full of words with many language origins.

I asked the question about abstain and abrogate because they appear to have come to us without bringing their positive version for our daily use, not fitting into my initial, nightmare induced thought process. I, personally, do recommend their inclusion along with others like them.

While developing this list is a challenge, my hope is that it remains fun.

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
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Algot Runeman
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Post by Algot Runeman »

Sue (mccormack44),

Don't long remain sorry that I am unkempt. It would discomfit me greatly. :(
I live unfazed, and moderately well, with my condition.

Keep 'em coming!
--Algot
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the grim squeaker
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Post by the grim squeaker »

I am stuck now.
Surely there are more, but I just cant think of any...
'You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom!' he screamed.
Carcer's men looked at one another, puzzled by what sounded like most badly thought-out war cry in the history of the universe.
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