Re: Mixing metaphors?

[Geoff Lane <geoff -at- gjctech -dot- co -dot- uk>]

On Saturday, January 30, 2010, quills -at- airmail -dot- net wrote;

> 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.
---

As with many words and phrases now in use, "double-edged" is well on
its way to losing (and possibly has lost) its association with the
object or activity from which it arose. For example, "show a clean
pair of heels", "well heeled", "to pit (against something or
someone)", and "being game" all arose from cockfighting. Yet we use
them without consideration of the context in which those metaphors
arose and with nary a thought of the sensibilities of those who would
oppose the "sport".

Language evolves.

-- 
Geoff

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