Judgemental Phrases: a Mild Misunderstanding

Posted by Chester November 23, 1999In reply to Judgemental Phrases: a Mild Misunderstanding posted by Bob on November 22, 1999 : :
: : : Do you mean phrases/sayings like the slightly risqué ' If all the girls attending it (the Yale Prom) were laid end to end , I wouldn't be at all surprised' - Dorothy Parker 1893-1967

Or the definitely cruel ' Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs' - Noel Coward 1899 -1973

Sounds like you want a book of Oscar Wilde epigrams. There are many that put an elegant needle in.

Thanks, Bob. Oscar Wilde definitely blazed some trails. I found a web site that had his epigrams -- with your clue in that direction

Also, there are some good, older sayings like "He likes to raise hell and put a block under it" - meaning, "he like to start trouble and then keep it from subsiding,"

Or "He's always been a day late and a dollar short," meaning "he has always missed the mark and been unsuccessful at things."

So the folk saying or folk epigram is also interesting, and can definitely be witty.

Chester