The eleventh hour fast approaches
Anyone who has ever watched "America's Funniest Home Videos" (I know this from talking to such people, as I would never stoop to watchig this sort of thing myself!) knows that the average guy and gal has a very poor understanding of basic physics. Simple principles such as "what goes up must come down," and concepts such as momentum, recoil, and bending strength seem completely foreign to them.
This reflects itself in our sloppy use of language.
A confusion between velocity and proximity is reflected in the expression "the deadline fast approaches." The speed at which the deadline approaches is a constant. If it seems to be accelerating as it nears, this is a function of procrastination and maybe perspective, not change of speed. Remember that nap you took last Wednesday? The dealine was approaching just as "fast" then as it is now that your term paper is due tomorrow.
Another weakness in our education seems to be general math skills. Folks who bored me to tears explaining why the year 2001, not the year 2000*, was the beginning of the new millenium seem perfectly happy saying "we need to decide now, because this is the eleventh hour!"
It's only the eleventh hour? Relax, you've got lots of time! The first hour is from 12:00 to 12:59, the second hour is from 1:00 to 1:59, and so-on, so the eleventh hour is therefore from 10:00 to 10:59, right? You've got over an hour to do whatever it is that needs to be done. But don't lolly-gaggle, because after that, the deadline will be fast approaching!
On a totally different tack, why do people say "on a totally different tact?" Do they plan on insulting me soon? For that matter, why do people say "penultimate" when what they mean is "really, really ultimate ... I'm not kidding!" The correct word here would be "ultimatest," related to "uniquest" and "firstest."
But I digress.
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* Contrary to these spoil-sports' notions, there was a year zero which was, in fact recognized in the traditional Jewish calendar as the first year of Adam's life. But the reconciliation of the traditional Jewish calendar and the Gregorian calendar made all that irrelevant, as it meant the abandonment of 165 years, just as the change from Julian to Gregorian meant the "loss" of eleven days. Who the hell cares? I just wanted to see the zeroes come up!
posted by Mique @ 12:46 PM
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