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Peaceblinkfriend Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

...a matter of investing in simple plumbing.

Hi all

Is the author speaking metaphorically in the last sentence? Does the phrase 'a matter of' have this effect?



"...And our health facilities are at the coalface, not just of influenza, but of many potential killers, such as golden staph.

Yes, the public is looking for guidance on the threat from swine influenza, but in the longer term, our governments should be focusing more on providing the means by which professionals can avoid a growing health problem in Australia.


To be trite, it could be a matter of investing in simple plumbing." (SMH)

Thank you

PBF
  

Top answer

On the contrary. I think he's being completely realistic, and means exactly what he says. " BTW, how's the "pay-per-flush" going??

  • On the contrary.
  • I think he's being completely realistic, and means exactly what he says.
  • " BTW, how's the "pay-per-flush" going??
  • I suppose "It's a matter of X" is an idiom, or at least, a fixed expression..
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9 Answers
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On the contrary. I think he's being completely realistic, and means exactly what he says.
"The starter on my car quit working." (reply) "Not to sound trite, but the solution may be a matter of hitting it with a hammer."

BTW, how's the "pay-per-flush" going??

I suppose "It's a matter of X" is an idiom, or at least, a fixed expression..
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Thanks for replying Avangi.

But except maybe in the outback, almost all Australian households have their bathrooms connected to a local plumbing system to drain the sewege. I think I have misused the word 'metaphorically'. I mean to say if the solution is as simple as investing in plumbing is. Is this how what I wrote came across to you? Thank you.

I believe the 'pay-per-flus
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I'm not sure how to answer you. In my opinion, no figure of speech is being used here to make the point. Everything seems straight forward.

His point seems to be that the attention of the authorities is misdirected toward dealing with swine flu. Instead, deal with the [unspecified] growing long term health problem. (I'd assume this is the water situation, known to be the greatest iss
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I'm still puzzled about the sewer charge. If the problem is the drought, why not charge for the fresh water? I think the majority of US communities have water meters.

Seems if you charge only for the waste water, people with swimming pools, people who over-water their lawns and hose down their driveways would get away scott-free.
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Avangi, I'm sorry to harp on about this but I still don't get the 'investing in simple plumbing' part. I mean a plumbing system exists in almost all places where one is needed. The article is not really long and here is the link to it.
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Peaceblinkfriend I mean a plumbing system exists in almost all places where one is needed.
Ask and it shall be given unto you:
Why? Infection control experts have for years been warning that overworked doctors and nurses flit from patient to patient without adequate hand-washing. Facilities to do so are o
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Thanks for your reply Avangi. Just wondering. Could you please explain your last comment? I don't really get the humour. The dictionary tells me a soapbox is a makeshift platform but what about the pet peeve?

Yea. That's why I am disappointed to learn that the Federal Government has delayed a carbon emissions trading scheme until 2011. Keep in mind that we have the highest per capita
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In the old days, soap boxes were quite large and made of wood - convenient for a strange fellow to carry with him, so that when he found a crowd he could use it to stand on and announce, "Repent, ye! The end is near!"

It's now something of an idiom, so that when someone launches into his favorite "improvised" speech, we say, "Oh no, he's on his soapbox again!" - even though he
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Oh I see what you mean now. Hope it didn't seem I was standing on a soapbox.

PBF

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