Re: Mixing metaphors?

[quills -at- airmail -dot- net]

Actually, the dropping of the word sword is a short-cut. The actual 
reference is a double-edged sword. A sword that can cut on the 
fore-stroke and the back-stroke, one that can cut you as well as the 
target. And in the cited instance it is a parallel metaphor. One good, 
one bad, just as in a double-edged sword.

There are things that can be double-edged and not a threat to the user.

My razor for instance has 3-edges.

:)

Scott

On 1/29/10 1:33 AM, Geoff Lane wrote:
> On Friday, January 29, 2010, Deborah Hemstreet wrote;
>
>> Wow, a lot of food for thought...
>
>> Well, here is the context:
>
>> However, increased XXX capacity can be a two-edged sword. On one hand,
>> it significantly enables lower cost functionality. But on the other
>> hand, the increasing complexity and cost of XXX designs has prevented
>> many vendors from using, or taking full advantage of, the capabilities
>> of XXX.
>
>> MUDDIER and muddier, one hand is good, the other is bad... and if I CUT
>> you with a two-edged sword you are more seriously wounded than with a
>> single-edged sword...
>
>> The client wants this a INFORMAL and UNTECHNICAL as possible (ARGH)!
> ---
>
> Just to throw in another wobbly: I'd not heard a of a "two-edged
> sword" until this thread. Where I live, it's "double-edged", which is
> in the OED with the meaning, "adj. presenting both a danger and an
> advantage." So if you leave out the word "sword" you're left with
> correct English and a single metaphor, viz:
>
> However, increased XXX capacity can be double-edged. On one hand, it
> significantly enables ...
>
> HTH,
>

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