Play it by?

[MojoPin]

ear or year?


big debate bewteen a mate of mine and my girl friend.... i have to agree with my mate on this one i think its play it by year but the gf thinks otherwise..... come lads join my gang... or shoot my theory to pieces :D


oh and how do they get the fig into the horrible fig rolls?

[GavinZac]

ear.

It refers to trying to play music by listening to it and doing your best to replicate it, rather than using sheet music. Therefore "playing it by ear" is doing anything which you're not quite sure will work out but you'll give it a shot.

[dahamsta]

She's right, you're wrong. Google the phrases and you'll see.

[Risteard]

Quite clearly, the roll is built around the fig.

[citizenerased]

its ear...100% sure i used to think like most people that it was year though

[dahamsta]

Reminds me of Billy Connolly's bit about the hymn "Gladly the Cross I Would Bear", which he used to hear as "Gladly The Cross-Eyed Bear". :)

[tetsujin1979]

play it by ear. definitely. never even heard of people saying play it by year

[noby]

i used to think like most people that it was year though

Speak for yourself. This is the first time I've ever seen a mention of "play it by year".

[paul_oshea]

same as that tets, some people are weirdos ;) :)

gav, i always thought it as, dont make a judgement/decision just yet/too hastily or just way to see out it pans out or just way to see what happens from what you (h)ear etc etc....which doesnt really make any reference to the idea of playing a song by ear i.e. no musical sheets. i am open to your suggestion though.

[kingdom hoop]

same as that tets, some people are weirdos ;) :)

gav, i always thought it as, dont make a judgement/decision just yet/too hastily or just way to see out it pans out or just way to see what happens from what you (h)ear etc etc....which doesnt really make any reference to the idea of playing a song by ear i.e. no musical sheets. i am open to your suggestion though.

Depends if you put the 'it' in or not....


play by ear


1. Play a musical instrument without the aid of written music, as in By the time she was four, she could play a dozen songs by ear. [Late 1600s]
2. play it by ear. Proceed gradually, depending on the circumstances; improvise. For example, I'm not sure how much we should say about our plans, so let's play it by ear. [Mid-1900s]



I sometimes hear people kind of ambiguously mumble the ear/year bit as if not sure, I 'll advise them of the folly of their ways henceforth

[Jerry The Saint]

Why would it be "play it by year":confused: How does that make any sense?


Speak for yourself. This is the first time I've ever seen a mention of "play it by year".

Here, here! ;)

[BohsPartisan]

ear ear?

[Schumi]

Here, here! ;):D



Never heard 'play it by year' either, can't think what that could mean.

[the 12 th man]

oh and how do they get the fig into the horrible fig rolls?


The Kennedy Biscuit Company merged with other regional bakeries in 1898 to form the National Biscuit Company, which later became Nabisco. The cookie is now produced by Nabisco.

Charles Roser may have invented the technique for encasing the fig jam in a dough wrapper. The machine that makes the cookie consists of a funnel within a funnel. The inner funnel contains the filling, and the outer funnel contains the dough. The machine extrudes the filled cookie, which is then baked, cut into smaller pieces, and packaged. Some UK manufacturers including Jacobs and Crawfords slice the extruded shape before baking giving distinctive rounded ends to the fig rolls.

Recently, Nabisco moved the manufacture of the cookie to Monterrey, Mexico.

From
Wiki-pedia


[edit] V

[Lionel Ritchie]

Loosely connected to the subject -the expression "swing a cat" as in "there isn't room in here to swing a cat" has nothing to do with those disgusting Feline four legged critters.
It refers to turning a boat -catamarans were thought particularly tight turners ...nearly possible to turn it on the axis -unlike other boats that need wide spaces to turn.

[Schumi]

I thought 'swing a cat' referred to a cat o' nine tails, a whip with nine strands that was used at sea.

[OwlsFan]

She's right, you're wrong. Google the phrases and you'll see.

You cannot say "google the phrase" since we're all being pedantic here. Google is not a verb. It is a trade mark.

Next you'll be saying you "hoovered the house" ;)

[Wolfie]

"Play it by Year" - its Steve Stauntons new response at press conferences. "Qualification?. We're just going to have to play it by year. The year being 2026."

I've heard the phrase "to all intents and purposes" be phrased as "to all intensive purposes". :confused:

Some people are so inarticulate as like, ye know, well like, basically, whatever!!!!

[Jerry The Saint]

I've heard the phrase "to all intents and purposes" be phrased as "to all intensive purposes".



I like it when someone is described as a


pre-madonna

rather than a prima donna :D

The one that really bugs me is when people say would of/could of etc.


I would of done it differently

I recently saw someone post on a message board


I would have thought...

and then a moment later reply


EDIT: Meant to say 'I would of thought...'

:mad: Sometimes it makes me loose my temper. :mad:

[paul_oshea]

Loosely connected to the subject -the expression "swing a cat" as in "there isn't room in here to swing a cat" has nothing to do with those disgusting Feline four legged critters.
It refers to turning a boat -catamarans were thought particularly tight turners ...nearly possible to turn it on the axis -unlike other boats that need wide spaces to turn


ya my point to gav was his explanation had no relation to the phrase "play it by ear". never ever sounded like it. you should be ashamed of yourself even opening up a thread questioning it. ON that you know what ****ed me off as a child, I found that I was right about things but I was in the minority and people used to make out I was wrong. its so annoying when you know you are right and there are a stupid few who make more noise and are just plain wrong!!! ;) hint hint.

all and sundry was one i used never get i always thought it was:

all-un-sundry, as thats how its pronounced. In fairness thats a tricky one, as in comeupance.

Btw, I thought it was "I would have thought" jerry?!?!

Wolfie, I know what you mean its like prayers at mass, where people are real loud, or when singing a song and then when they are unsure of a bit they go quieter/say it really quick all rushed together or just mumble!!! hehe

[Jerry The Saint]

Btw, I thought it was "I would have thought" jerry?!?!


Yep, 'would have' is correct - this guy got it right the first time and went back and changed it to the incorrect, meaningless phrase. :o

The original post (and the way people will argue that they are right no matter what) just reminded me of a bit from Seinfeld



Kramer: Anyway, it's been two years. I mean isn't there like a statue of limitations on that?

Jerry: 'Statute'.

Kramer: What?

Jerry: 'Statute of limitations'. It's not a statue.

Kramer: No, 'statue'.

Jerry: Fine, it's a sculpture of limitations.

Kramer: Just wait a minute...Elaine, Elaine! Now you're smart, is it 'statue' or 'statute' of limitations?

Elaine: 'Statute.'

Kramer: Oh, I really think you're wrong.

:D

[paul_oshea]

see jerry i was proving it the other way round for example, where I would have said it was "statute" but the other two would have said statue and made me out to be the stupid one.

here is an example, worst part was it was this guys parents who thought i was stupid too ( english parents, english kid - makes sense, crap education system and all that :) ) , I explained that your ears played a part in your balance and walking ( indirectly ) etc, and they laughed at me, and kept going on about it and I was like I am right, I'll prove it, unfortunately the intenet wasn't readily available at the time so I couldn't prove it. But it was so frustrating. I have so many memories of things like that from when i was younger.

[noby]

Loosely connected to the subject -the expression "swing a cat" as in "there isn't room in here to swing a cat" has nothing to do with those disgusting Feline four legged critters.
It refers to turning a boat -catamarans were thought particularly tight turners ...nearly possible to turn it on the axis -unlike other boats that need wide spaces to turn.
Er, you're wrong here Lionel. Schumi is right. The cat o' nine tails was a whip. Down below deck, there often wasn't enough room to swing a cat - lucky for the intended recipiant.
Also, 'You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' is from the same origin. It was meant as a threat directed at the guy with the whip. Nowadays it means you help me and I'll help you.
A lot of sayings have nautical origins:
As the crow flies
Three sheets to the wind
Rub salt into the wounds etc.

[Jerry The Saint]

Rub salt into the wounds etc.

I've heard of people that try and do this when someone gets a wound. :eek:


But it's a common expression:confused: It has to be worth a try

Yes - but think about what it means! Not to mention that the concept of a metaphor is lost on these people :)

[finlma]

I thought it was "Play it by year" for a long time but found out a few years ago how wrong I was.

My gf always says "The proof is in the pudding" and plenty of others do too - it doesn't make any sense. The proper saying is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". I try to tell her but she still thinks she's right.

[noby]

A bit like 'Don't upset the apple tart', or 'It's a sad fate of a stairs'.

[MojoPin]

thanks lads gonna have to confess to the gf im wrong theres a first time for everything or in my case with her theres a 2339 time for everything ha

[gustavo]

I like it when someone is described as a



rather than a prima donna :D

The one that really bugs me is when people say would of/could of etc.



I recently saw someone post on a message board



and then a moment later reply



:mad: Sometimes it makes me loose my temper.
So I'm not the only one !
Also card shark , fare play and tenderhooks :)

[OwlsFan]

all and sundry was one i used never get i always thought it was:

all-un-sundry, as thats how its pronounced. In fairness thats a tricky one, as in comeupance.

There's a woman from Cavan in our office who says "all on Sunday" :D

[strangeirish]

Another one....'Fair dues to you'. It's not 'Fair Jews to you'!;) :D I think the Cohen's et al, may find it offensive.

[kingdom hoop]

So I'm not the only one !
Also card shark , fare play and tenderhooks :)

Anyone watching Eamon Dunphy on RTE last week will have realised their error when he referred to Tony Cas as nothing but a card sharp!

[the 12 th man]

Another one....'Fair dues to you'. It's not 'Fair Jews to you'!;) :D

I've also heard "Fair Juice to yeh" on that one.

[tricky_colour]

It's definately play it by year. How could you possibly play any musical instrument with your ear? It's just too soft. Play it by year means so see how things pan out over time.
The figs are grown inside the rolls. It's a bit like a ship in a bottle.

[tricky_colour]

The proof is in the pudding refers to using alcohol in a cake for example in brandy pudding the alcohol is 40% proof.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Always thought it was play it by year. Never heard of play it by ear.

[Jerry The Saint]

This whole topic is all a moo point anyway - like a cow's opinion. It's moo.

[SkStu]

see jerry i was proving it the other way round for example, where I would have said it was "statute" but the other two would have said statue and made me out to be the stupid one.

here is an example, worst part was it was this guys parents who thought i was stupid too ( english parents, english kid - makes sense, crap education system and all that :) ) , I explained that your ears played a part in your balance and walking ( indirectly ) etc, and they laughed at me, and kept going on about it and I was like I am right, I'll prove it, unfortunately the intenet wasn't readily available at the time so I couldn't prove it. But it was so frustrating. I have so many memories of things like that from when i was younger.

hilarious posts POS. Only cos it seemed the exact same way to me when i was younger. It used to **** me off so much. 2 things that i remember vividly.

1) Like Al Gore mentions in the documentary, i used to say that Ireland and England had to have fit together at one stage and Sth America and Africa. I used to get the atlas out to prove it and the adults still rolled their eyes up.

2) I remember (i must have been about 7) it was christmas time and we were makin cards in school for our folks. All the idiots in my class were writing "Mary Christmas". I actually walked out of the room when the teacher backed up all the tards in my class and said it was Mary Christmas. He made me write Mary Christmas but i changed it when i got home. I was traumatised. Tough times.

:D

misspellings that bother me:

quiet instead of quite.

eg Bohs were quiet good last night.

[Wolfie]

I remember reading an interview with Liam Howlett of the Prodigy and he said he knew a Punk in his school that had customised his jacket with the legend "Excercise the Demons" on the back. :D

Another one that bugs me is when I hear people say "I'm literally over the moon / high as a kite" etc etc. No you're not!!!!

I've also heard the end of the world as we know it described as "The A-pop-a-lypse". :D

[Jerry The Saint]

From a post in the World Football section :D


just deserves for that chairman

That's a new one to me. :)

The most common version is probably


just desserts

as if someone is getting ice cream or chocolate mousse or something but the 'correct' phrase is


just deserts

pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in reward/punishment not Sahara.

[kingdom hoop]

From a post in the World Football section :D

That's a new one to me. :)



:) I was pretty dubious about that alright, but I said I'd go with it. Thanks for the heads-up. Just deserts doesn't sound good to me though. Aha, that word desert is obsolete outside of the saying, so I'll take some solace in that!

http://www.answers.com/Just%20Deserts#after_ad1

[Schumi]

I remember reading an interview with Liam Howlett of the Prodigy and he said he knew a Punk in his school that had customised his jacket with the legend "Excercise the Demons" on the back. :DWhen the Prodigy brought out Poison, a guy in my school wrote, in very large letters, Poisson on his schoolbag.

[paul_oshea]

as if someone is getting ice cream or chocolate mousse or something but the 'correct' phrase is

LOL, legend jerry. class :D

i knew it was deserts, but i never actually thought about it being de-serts as oppossed ( that doesnt look right on screen?! ) to des-erts a lá sahara et al - thats french btw ;)

you can see, not just from the arguments here, but there aren't that many well educated or versed people ( on english phrases at least )on this forum. :D

[BohsPartisan]

I thought 'swing a cat' referred to a cat o' nine tails, a whip with nine strands that was used at sea.

This is what I thought too.

BTW LR, Cats are lovely animals! ;)

[Wolfie]

All the "swingin cats" hang out at Renards according to Eamon Dunphy.

[OwlsFan]

It's definately play it by year. How could you possibly play any musical instrument with your ear? It's just too soft. Play it by year means so see how things pan out over time.
The figs are grown inside the rolls. It's a bit like a ship in a bottle.

Never heard of "play it by year":eek:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/284550.html

It's play it by ear.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Most annoying one for me was when I was working in a Gaeltacht when I was 17 as an assistant. All the other assistants were a year or two older and we were putting together a quiz for the pupils.

We wanted to include some easy questions so we decided to include "How many states are in the United States of America?"

Then all of these eejits started saying there were 52 because of Alaska and Hawaii. I pointed out that they were wrong and that the correct answer is 50.

We kept this up and I even said I'd get an atlas that was only a few rooms away and they said no.

Thankfully we had to cancel the quiz for an unrelated reason.

[GavinZac]

Why aren't Alaska and Hawaii considered states, just out of interest?

I suppose you could throw Puerto Rico into that question too.

[noby]

Why aren't Alaska and Hawaii considered states, just out of interest?
They are. There are 50 including Hawaii and Alaska.

[pineapple stu]

The proof is in the pudding refers to using alcohol in a cake for example in brandy pudding the alcohol is 40% proof.


It's definately play it by year.
Wow - how to remove any shred of your credibility in two successive posts!

It's "play by ear", end of story. And "proof" in that context means to test - i.e. the test of how good the pudding is comes when you eat it and find out (and by extension, the test of how good anything is comes when you try it). Just as "the exception that proves the rule" means the exception that tests the rule - if a rule stands up to even strange anomolies, it's probably accurate.


Why aren't Alaska and Hawaii considered states, just out of interest?
:D

There's no way that's a serious post!!

[GavinZac]

:D

There's no way that's a serious post!!

:o i read you wrong, sorry. it was a long bus ride :(