Every time I say "by and large", I remember that the expression, which is generally understood to mean "generally" -- see what I did there -- is of nautical origin. The UK's Royal Navy created many figures of speech we use today in entirely different contexts.
"By" means "sailing close to against the wind", and "large" means "sailing with the wind behind us".
A ship that sailed well "by and large", was a ship that could do okay regardless of which way the wind was blowing.
i.e.: "Generally".
Humans are, by and large, awful, and I don't think we're really gonna work out in the long run.
But language.
Human language is such a glorious thing, it almost redeems us as a species.
Consider the myriad ways to say "stupid".
The whole "Eskimos have 30 words for snow" thing is bullshit. The Inuit have slightly more words to describe different kinds and feels of snow than the average midwesterner. Slightly.
But if it *were* true, surely, the ways in which we can say "stupid" would tell us all a great deal about our society.
"Lights on, nobody home."
"Couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel."
"Dumber than . . ." "a sackful of hammers", "a bag full of hair", "a suitcase full of rocks".
"Three bricks shy of a load."
"Elevator don't go all the way to the penthouse."
"Not the sharpest tool in the shed."
"Couldn't piss out a boat and hit water."
"A real good dancer."
"Short bus."
And then, there is poetry, and lyrics.
It takes my breath away.
,,, I have of late, but wherefore I know not lost all my mirth ...
... this goodly frame the earth it seems but a sterile promintory ...
... this most excellent canopy, the air, look you ...
... this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire ...
...why it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
@DJDarren @GeePawHill Oh yeah, thinking about it I haven't watched it in an age...
Fun fact, after we moved into our current house we found out that it had been named "Marwood" at some point in the past.
@GeePawHill There is a marvelous bit in the first episode of the RSC's Playing Shakespeare series with John Barton, where he has Ian McKellen illustrate a point using that opening line from the Merchant of Venice.
It's a stellar acting lesson but whether you're an actor or not, it's a joy to watch McKellen do his thing.
https://youtu.be/D2VnxiW3oqk?t=852
#TheMerchantOfVenice #IanMcKellen #JohnBarton #Shakespeare #PlayingShakespeare #Acting #Performance #Theatre
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