elliemurasaki: (no subject)

our roads may be golden, or broken, or lost (

elliemurasaki) wrote,
@ 2013-02-21 07:22 pm UTC

(no subject)

Help me think of impossible things? 'When hell freezes over', 'when pigs fly', 'when this [gerrymandered all to hell, very safe Democratic] district elects a Republican', that sort of thing. Nothing quoted from "Scarborough Fair".

Thanks!

ETA for clarification: I want, like in Scarborough Fair, tasks that someone could hypothetically do except for the fact that they're logically impossible.

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iamshadow
2013-02-22 01:02 am UTC (link)

'Raining cats and dogs'?

If it's that kind of thing you're after, may I suggest something slightly unconventional? I have an online autism resource library, and in it I have both the first and second editions of Ian Stuart-Hamilton's Asperger Dictionary of Everyday Expressions, which is intended as a resource for more literal minded autistics to navigate the baffling minefield of non-literal language with. It's full of that kind of thing; think of it like an English-to-autistic phrasebook. You'll probably find some great phrases in there. They're only about 3MB each, .pdf format.

AS Dictionary
AS Dictionary 2nd Ed.

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	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 06:05 am UTC (link)
	That looks like a valuable resource but not what I'm looking for. Which I phrased really poorly to begin with. I want, like in Scarborough Fair, tasks that someone could hypothetically do except for the fact that they're logically impossible. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 2 comments) (Show 2 comments)

	no subject iamshadow 2013-02-22 06:45 am UTC (link)
	Oh, okay, gotcha. I replied when I was half out the door on the way to go to town. Like, 'making a silk purse out of a sow's ear'? Have you heard that one? (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 06:52 am UTC (link)
	In Disney's Mulan. ETA: Though if one doesn't take it as a metaphor, it's excellent for what I want, thank you! Last edited 2013-02-22 06:52 am UTC (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject onyxlynx 2013-02-22 01:32 am UTC (link)
	When New York City goes monoglot and monoethnic? When the Marianas Trench becomes a mountain? When Pixar does Story of O? (Reply to this) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 06:06 am UTC (link)
	Heehee. Especially the Story of O one. Not what I'm looking for--I should have said 'tasks', not 'things', and possibly explained further that I'm thinking Scarborough Fair only not--but exactly what I asked for, thank you. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject silveradept 2013-02-22 01:52 am UTC (link)
	When dinosaurs and humans coexist. When Microsoft open-sources Windows. When Sesame Street does sex ed. When English lacks homophones. (Reply to this) (Thread) (Hide 7 comments) (Show 7 comments)

	no subject lonespark 2013-02-22 01:57 am UTC (link)
	If Sesame Street did sex ed it would be good. Oh well, I guess we're stuck with church. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject silveradept 2013-02-22 02:01 am UTC (link)
	You're right. It would be good. And intelligible to preschoolers. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 06:06 am UTC (link)
	The Microsoft one is win. Not what I'm looking for--I should have said 'tasks', not 'things', and possibly explained further that I'm thinking Scarborough Fair only not--but exactly what I asked for, thank you. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 4 comments) (Show 4 comments)

	no subject silveradept 2013-02-22 08:32 am UTC (link)
	Oh, okay! Something like "count the number of angels that dance on the head of a pin", or "spin a purse from Anansi's silk." (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 3 comments) (Show 3 comments)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 08:33 am UTC (link)
	Oooo I like those! Thank you! (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 2 comments) (Show 2 comments)

	no subject silveradept 2013-02-22 08:50 am UTC (link)
	You're welcome. Also, "win a foot race with a Greek Goddess without using fruit." (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 08:56 am UTC (link)
	HEEEEEE. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject grrlfag 2013-02-22 02:49 pm UTC (link)
	When SPN finally airs that sweet, romantic, brotherly kiss. (Reply to this) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject elliemurasaki 2013-02-22 04:40 pm UTC (link)
	dies (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

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