I’m amazed at the number of people on this board unable to comprehend the concept of an analogy. We’re not talking about rocket science here, it’s a pretty basic idea. How did you people ever do the analogy section of the SAT without even knowing what an analogy is? Are our schools really that pathetic? Since I really don’t feel like saying this over and over again every time someone completely misunderstands my argument, here’s an explanation that I can just link to whenever someones insists on displaying their ignorance of the basics of English language.
If I say that A is to B as C is to D, I mean that A is to B as C is to D. That is, the relationship of A to B is in some way the same as the relationship of C to D. Okay? Is that clear? I am not saying that A is the same as C, or B is the same as D or that A is the same as B, or anything other than A is to B as C is to D.
Normally, the only time I even bother with those little letter things is when I’m bored with taking the tests and I want to finish it up quickly. So I start spelling things out in the Scantron bubbles.
ADD
CAD
BAD
DAD
And abriviations:
AAA
ADA
ABC
Then I go in patters
ABCDCBABCDCBA
Occasionally I’ll try to diagram DNA, but that never ends up giving me a good score.
Ender
who prays for 5 answer tests so he can work with another vowel.
I was gonna say though, The Ryan-
seriously man, can you say ‘pedantic’?
In most of the threads on the boards, no serious ignorance is fought (IMHO)- it’s fun, it’s fights, it’s who did who in Gilligans Island. A lot of it seems to be about people getting their opinion out.
And ain’t nobody changing anybodies minds, for the most part.
So, just throwing this out there for your consideration-
try lightening up a little- type naked or something.
(I was gonna say seriously dude- but I guess that’s not the done thing around here? Lord knows, I want to do whatever is the prettiest thing. This jsut ain’t coming out right- I’m referencing that one phrase- ‘Here’s a quartah, go do something pretty for yourself’ or Handle it- do the pretty thing, make me look good…")
(Please, anybody thinking of taking me to task on my two generalisations above- note the use of the qualifiers ‘most’, and ‘for the most part’- thank you)
However, there is a limit to analogies. For instance if I say something like, oh, Idunno, the way “boxer” people feel about titey-whities is about the same as the way Hitler felt about the Jews and Gypsies, I ain’t gonna score no points at all. Yes, analogies can help make the abstract a bit more concrete, however they can easily be abused.
Incidently, friedo, I’m pretty sure the answer is B. Interpret that as you will.
Got a cite for that number? Who, exactly, is unable to comprehend the concept of an analogy? Is there a specific thread or threads you could point us to?
Is it possible that the analogies you are using are so asinine or off-base that numerous posters are forced to discount them?
A, lovely, the “rocket science” simile. I haven’t seen that old chestnut used in a while.
Again, is it possible that posters understand analogies in general, but fail to see the beauty of your analogies? I would like to see a cite of the SAT scores of the posters you are accusing of not being able to understand your analogies.
If you are failing to get your argument across, over and over again, perhaps the problem lies with you. Are people failing to understand your argument, or are they just disagreeing with you? Perhaps they are picking your posts apart line-by-line, in a deliberate attempt to obfuscate and ignore the larger points you are making? I know how much you hate that.
Ha! But this is where you are wrong! Because when you say A is to B is as C is to D, it does not necessarily make it so. You are free to draw any comparison you wish, others are free to say “No, C is NOT to D as A is to B. But that’s a very nice tie you are wearing.”
For god’s sake, people, the liquid propellant needs to produce continuous thrust if you want the missile to follow the projected trajectory. We’re not talking about rocket science here…oh…wait…nevermind.
Butt is the CACA as ABBA is to Dancing Queen.
Y’know, I know a schematic for a nuclear bomb when I see one; that doesn’t mean I could construct one that worked or was any good. Just as THE RYAN apparently knows an analogy when he sees one . . . .
As TOMH said, RYAN, never make the mistake of thinking you’re so brilliant we don’t understand you; some of us just think you’re full of CACA.
Trouble with analogy is that the discussion drifts off into some meaningless and irrelevant… oh I don’t wanna do this any more I want to make pretty bubbles from washing up liquid and see the lovely colours as they sparkle in the sun before dissappearing in a pop of finality, I wanna see the sun burst through a grim February cloud and show me that good times are coming soon, I wanna go out and make the high score on the pinball machine in my local pub, I wanna find a soulmate to adore forever…geez there just has to be more to life than splitting hairs over the position and exact meaning of every word spoken, breaking a sentance into such small parts that the whole loses all meaning and perspective.
