Forum Message
| City: | Wynne, Arkansas  | | Personal Data: | Male, born: November 26 1954 | | Membership | 21years 131days ago. | | Last Login | 3years 360days ago. | | Last Move | 3years 350days ago. | kduke is currently  | Send a mail to kduke |
| Message header | Area/Game: | Blue Max | | Topic: | Humour | | Subject: | Horse Beating | | Posted by: | kduke  - 20years 147days ago. |
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| Message text This morning was very hectic and in the middle of trying to get out the door a message came in from someone who plays (and reads) on this site, asking me to explain the meaning of "horse beating" and what was I doing to these noble beasts.
Clearly, his English is a second (or maybe 3rd or 4th for all I know) language and the idiom was not something he was familiar with.
Before I go further, let me state firmly that I am not making fun of his English. While I can order a beer or ask for the bathroom in about 6 languages, I cannot do much more than that, and I admire the folks who can actually carry on a serious conversation in another language.
But today's lesson in American English slang..."Beating a dead horse" means to continue on with a discussion past the point of any usefulness. Literally, it wastes energy to beat a horse (or spur, whip, or in some other way urge to perform) if the horse is dead. Thus, it is a wasteful task to continue to do so.
Further, the term has a bit more negative association, like someone who is "beating a dead horse" is not only wasting time and energy but is not very aware of what is going on-- like he has not noticed the horse is dead.
In the current situation when someone suggested I might be doing that, we disagree on whether the "horse" in particular is dead (or even punished) and whether the issue should be left alone or persisted in until the BM community can really see whether the spin-guy is making an honest change or just blowing us off.
"Blowing us off." Another idiom. That will have to wait for another lesson.
For now,
Piva, pashalusta. |
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