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Pedants' corner

Arguably...

47 replies

onebatmother · 27/11/2007 23:43

Well? 'It can be argued that' or 'it's beyond argument that'?

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LydiaTheTattooedLapin · 27/11/2007 23:51

whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 27/11/2007 23:52

It depends how certain you are.
It could be argued that onebatmother is the most heavenly creature on mumsnet or it's beyond argument that swedes2turnips1 is mumsnet's most heavenly creature.

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onebatmother · 27/11/2007 23:58

swedes, both options thrill me.

HOOOwever. I had been under the impression that 'arguably' means (slightly counterintuitively) 'definitely'

Others - I name you no names - use it to mean 'it's possible that' ie 'let's argue that ... (and we may be wrong)

bugger me am I actually too 'kin pedantic for pedants' corner?

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onebatmother · 27/11/2007 23:59

lol willis , lapin, esp in the light of strange resemblance of emoticon to actual diff'rent strokes child.

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EmsMum · 28/11/2007 00:07

Eh? Arguably doesn't mean definitely in the dictionaries. One simply defined it as 'possibly'. Another more fulsomely:

Arguably: as may be argued or shown by argument

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:08

It is arguable that onebatmother is off her tits on prescription drugs washed down with neat voddie.
It is also arguable that onebatmother is overtired like those wankers in the Vauxhall Zafira commercials.

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:11

i think it's the 'may shown by argument' bit - qualitively different from 'may be argued'?

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:13

swedes! I thought you thought I was ..
never mind.
am probably mental, haven't slept for some nights, will review thread in the morning.

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:16

And yet.. and yet...

  1. Open to argument: an arguable question, still unresolved.
  2. That can be argued plausibly; defensible in argument: three arguable points of law.

argu·a·bly

so they have different meanings

  1. means 'by no means an established fact
  2. means 'I suggest it is jolly nearly an established fact.


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cremolafoam · 28/11/2007 00:16

It is arguable that i have had most of a bottle of merlot. non?

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:16

Wish me happy birthday

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:18

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPY
BIIIIIIIIIRTHDAY!!!!

TO YOU
DUMDEDUMDEE TO YOU

HAAPPY BIRHTDAY DEAR SWEEEYEEEDS.

happy birthday to you.

you are so mature for 19.

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:19

Yes different. I would it can be argued is more uncertain than it's beyond argument.

It can be argued that Harriet Harman was right to accept her £5,000 campaign contribution.
It's beyoind argument that H Benn was right to decline the £5,000 campaign contribution.

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:20

see? so mature.

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:21

4 lovers children. 21 44. All washed up and I am hoping to be whisked via St Pancras to Paris tomorrow. I will be so pissed off if Pizza Express is mentioned.

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:23

will keep fingers crossed all day!

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:23

I will be pissed off if Pizza Express is mentioned. I will be foaming at the mouth if I find myself walking there. Without so much as a gun between my shoulder blades.

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:25

And 44 - have you hit stride yet? Me neither.

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:26

My big sons love that place. DP hates the acoustics. I have to self-anaesthetise with red wine. I was meant for better things...... wasn't I?

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:28

onebatmother - how many years have you clocked up....

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:29

you were maybe meant for separate celebrations with dp and ds's..?
rowdy family celebration, and .. erm.. subtler woman-of-world celebration next weekend?

self anaesthetisation can be good tho?

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:31

self anaesthetisation can be good tho?
Do you think red-wine moustache is a good look? It looks better if you balance it out by crying and spreading mascara down your cheeks. What do you think?

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:31

39 nearly 40. Its all fantasy.

lol at acoustics ! only ever heard fathers/husbands/men mention this as a minus in their considered review of restaurant etc.|!!

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onebatmother · 28/11/2007 00:34

ha ha ha re balancing moustache with mascara!
that has always been my policy and I see no reason to change it now.
please take camera-phone pic of you in PE with mime face!

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Swedes2Turnips1 · 28/11/2007 00:35

My sister came for supper on Sat night - she offered to take a day off work and look after the children. He didn't gnaw her arm off there and then and tell her where the nappies are and where the big boys' sport timetable is. I detected whisperings later on in the evening. Though, I confess I did do after dinner magic (told my fifteen year old I had to give up the flying trapese when I got pregnant with him ) and they might have been whispering: hide the wine.

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