A real unity always lies in diversity.

Question

Does the given sentence make any sense to you?A real unity always lies in diversity.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Perhaps the idea is that we all get together and agree to tolerate each other's differences.

It seems like one of those deliberately paradoxical kind of statements.

Some might consider it profound, some not.

Peace requires war.

Simplicity is complicated.

Black is the new white.

Perfect English is never completely correct.

Best wishes, Clive

Avangi · Answer

<< A real unity always lies in diversity. >>

I guess that's a truism, so here are some to go with it:

Mark Twain - If you and I agree all the time then one of us is unnecessary.

Will Rogers - There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees. ...

If two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is doing the thinking. ...

__________________________________-

I suppose it's like genetics. Too much inbreeding produces a weak strain.

In order for a group to have strength, each member must bring something.

Edit. If anybody's wondering about the crazy emoticon code, I just switched back temporarily from FF to Explorer.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Hi Clive,

Thank you very much for the reply.

Q1:

ClivePerhaps the idea is that we all get together and agree to tolerate each other's differences.

I would have written it as: Perhaps the idea is that when we all get together and agree to tolerate each other's differences, it is called a 'real' unity.

Is my way also correct?

Q2:

ClivePerfect English is never completely correct.

What does this mean?

Q3:

From a Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_new_black:
A closer early approximation of the phrase is Vreeland's pronouncement, quoted in 1962, that "I ADORE that pink ... it's the navy blue of India." Vreeland meant that the color pink seemed to be the foundation of the attire there, much like navy blue was the base color of most ensembles in New York City.

I couldn't understand anything at all. Please help me.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Hi Avangi,

I think these days you do graveyard shifts at the EnglishForward.

AvangiI guess that's a truism, so here are some to go with it:

truism
an undoubted or self-evident truth ; especially : one too obvious for mention
[M-W's Col. Dic.]

I understand what the definition says. It's the wording which baffles me. one too obvious for mention means that something is already too obvious that there is no need to mention it. I think the structure is same as too fat for this job. Would it be correct to say, too obvious to explain?

The structure of this sentence 'how do you keep from gaining weight on the graveyard shift?' is same as of 'how do you keep (=protect) from falling when you are climbing a swing'.

AvangiIf two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is doing the thinking. ...

Shouldn't it be something like: 'If two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is not doing the thinking', or, 'If two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is not thinking'?

Avangi · Answer

Jackson6612Hi Avangi,

I think these days you do graveyard shifts at the EnglishForward.
AvangiI guess that's a truism, so here are some to go with it:
truism
an undoubted or self-evident truth ; especially : one too obvious for mention
[M-W's Col. Dic.]

I understand what the definition says. It's the wording which baffles me. one too obvious for mention means that something is already too obvious that there is no need to mention it. I think the structure is same as too fat for this job. Would it be correct to say, too obvious to explain?

Yes, that would be correct.

These might qualify as idioms, I'm not sure. "I'm too tired to sleep." "She's too beautiful for words." (Edit. Nix the idiom idea. The structure is too common. "This is not enough money to live on." "She's too young for marriage.")

The original is unidiomatic to my ear. Is the dictionary British? I've always heard, "too obvious to mention." If I had to use "for," I'd probably say, "too obvious for mentioning." In the US, we don't often use "mention" as a noun, although it's clearly legal. (Well, there's "honorable mention.")

This seems to be another one of those darned cases where you can't tell if the "to" is a preposition or the infinitive marker. Anyway, we usually use "for" with nouns and "to" in describing action: This is too much to eat. This is too much for someone on a diet.

The structure of this sentence 'how do you keep from gaining weight on the graveyard shift?' (Don't work in a bakery!) is same as of 'how do you keep (=protect) from falling when you are climbing a swing'. Yes.
AvangiIf two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is doing the thinking. ...
Shouldn't it be something like: 'If two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is not doing the thinking', or, 'If two men agree on everything, you can be sure one of them is not thinking'? Your suggestion certainly works. But Will Rogers was a comedian. Part of the fun is figuring out what he meant.

A real unity always lies in diversity.

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions