Clever

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Here is a short passage from Littlewood's Miscellany by J E Littlewood, a mathematics professor at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1910 to 1972; the parentheses are Littlewood's and the reference is to his friend and collaborator G H Hardy:"Bertrand Russell said to me (c. 1911) that he had the bright eyes that only very clever men had ('clever' then meant more than now)".Does anyone - maybe someone familiar with academic life in the first half of the 20th C - know how 'clever' meant more then than now? -- Laury Chizlett, London

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"Laury Chizlett" (Email Removed) ha scritto nel messaggio news:eVUjE6C4nrH$(Email Removed)...
[nq:1]"Bertrand Russell said to me (c. 1911) that he had the bright eyes that only very clever men had ('clever' ... with academic life in the first half of the 20th C - know how 'clever' meant more then than now?[/nq]
the book (the same old story: "In the past things were better..."). Do you mean this?

Bye, FB

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FB writes
[nq:2]"Bertrand Russell said to me (c. 1911) that he had ... C - know how 'clever' meant more then than now?[/nq]
[nq:1] the book (the same old story: "In the past things were better..."). Do you mean this?[/nq]
I don't think that Littlewood was saying that people were more clever then than now. I can only think of these possibilities for the then meaning of 'clever':

1 As it means now, but with a suggestion that the person is a bit too clever. That they are tricky, and, adept at dodging things they should do, but find unpleasant. Note that Bertrand Russell could have use the word 'intelligent' in the above quote. In this usage one could say that, although Jeffrey Archer is undoubtedly intelligent, Professor Littlewood would have called him clever.

2 That the man is homosexual. In the past gay people had to resort to coded words and phrases (and even, in the case of Polari, a new language) to communicate with one another. My gay uncle told me that in the 40s/50s "does he like music?" meant was he gay.

3 G H Hardy was one of the greatest mathematicians of his day, so in our use of the word calling him clever was like calling Liz Hurley pretty. So it might have meant being beyond intelligent: being able to apply the intelligence to practical effect: being able to produce good, new mathematics.

I think I'm going to have to find a 90 year-old and ask them! -- Laury Chizlett, London

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[nq:1]Here is a short passage from Littlewood's Miscellany by J E Littlewood, a mathematics professor at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1910 to 1972[/nq]
That's a long time to be a professor.

PRH

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[nq:2]Here is a short passage from Littlewood's Miscellany by J E Littlewood, a mathematics professor at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1910 to 1972[/nq]
[nq:1]That's a long time to be a professor. PRH[/nq]
Hmm... 1972-1910=62. (+/- a few dB). Longevity, I guess.

I learnt recently that Noam Chomsky is now about 75. But I don't know when he might have got his first slide rule. If ever.

-- Best, Erick Andrews delete bogus to reply

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[nq:1]2 That the man is homosexual. In the past gay people had to resort to coded words and phrases (and ... with one another. My gay uncle told me that in the 40s/50s "does he like music?" meant was he gay.[/nq]
I wonder, if like the modern gay handerkerchief code, they had sub-divisions. Thus:

-Oh yes, I like music. I'm a big band blues man myself

-Shame, I'm into skiffle
[nq:1]3 G H Hardy was one of the greatest mathematicians of his day, so in our use of the word calling him clever was like calling Liz Hurley pretty.[/nq]
Um, mean's that he wasn't as clever as people made him out to be???
[nq:1]So it might have meant being beyond intelligent: being able to apply the intelligence to practical effect: being able to produce good, new mathematics. I think I'm going to have to find a 90 year-old and ask them! -- Laury Chizlett, London[/nq]

Clever

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