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Usenet Posted 17 years ago
Usage
Sex of angels?
Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the "sex of angels" (whether they are male or female) means having a very high level deep conversation with no practical consequences for your everyday life. Does that meaning exist in English-speaking popular culture? Clearly some English speakers know the phrase and use it, but I suspect that they are all intellectuals that know French and/or Italian. Does the phrase (or something similar) exist in any of the monolingual English-speaking environments?
You'd be crazy to e-mail me with the crazy. But leave the div alone.
You'd be crazy to e-mail me with the crazy. But leave the div alone.
Top answer
[nq:1]Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the "*** of angels" (whether they are male or female) means ... intellectuals that know French and/or Italian. [/nq] We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equivalent.
- [nq:1]Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the "*** of angels" (whether they are male or female) means ...
- intellectuals that know French and/or Italian.
- [/nq] We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equivalent.
- ) I've never heard the English translation of the phrase you cite.
- Bob Lieblich Who thought all angels were male
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18 Answers
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[nq:1]Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the "*** of angels" (whether they are male or female) means ... intellectuals that know French and/or Italian. Does the phrase (or something similar) exist in any of the monolingual English-speaking environments?[/nq]
We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equ
We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equ
00
[nq:2]Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the ... something similar) exist in any of the monolingual English-speaking environments?[/nq]
[nq:1]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equivalent. (It would make more sense if it referred to the point of a pin, but no one asked me.)[/nq]
That's silly,
[nq:1]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think is a close equivalent. (It would make more sense if it referred to the point of a pin, but no one asked me.)[/nq]
That's silly,
00
[nq:2]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can ... the point of a pin, but no one asked me.)[/nq]
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
George Gamow's Mr Tompkins and several million of his friends? =20
Robin=20
(BrE)
Herts, England=20
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
George Gamow's Mr Tompkins and several million of his friends? =20
Robin=20
(BrE)
Herts, England=20
00
[nq:2]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can ... the point of a pin, but no one asked me.)[/nq]
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
How big is the pin?
The idea apparently is that an angel can contract itself to (almost) nothing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How many ange
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
How big is the pin?
The idea apparently is that an angel can contract itself to (almost) nothing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How many ange
00
[nq:2]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
[nq:1]How big is the pin?[/nq]
Mine's 4 digits long
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]How big is the pin?[/nq]
Mine's 4 digits long
John Dean
Oxford
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[nq:2]Apparently, in Italian and French popular culture, talking about the ... something similar) exist in any of the monolingual English-speaking environments?[/nq]
[nq:1]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think ... point of a pin, but no one asked me.) I've never heard the English translation of the phrase you cite.[/nq]
Am I to conclud
[nq:1]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," which I think ... point of a pin, but no one asked me.) I've never heard the English translation of the phrase you cite.[/nq]
Am I to conclud
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[nq:2]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can ... the point of a pin, but no one asked me.)[/nq]
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
An angel isn't a "who".
** DAVE HATUNEN (Email Removed) ** * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
[nq:1]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
An angel isn't a "who".
** DAVE HATUNEN (Email Removed) ** * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
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[nq:2]We have a phrase: "argue over how many angels can ... never heard the English translation of the phrase you cite.[/nq]
[nq:1]Am I to conclude, then, that the "*** of angels" phrase has no wide use in the English Schprachgebiet, apart ... are less widely used, and "dance on the head of a pin" is always a literal translation from (usually) English.[/nq]
Since it comes from medieval arg
[nq:1]Am I to conclude, then, that the "*** of angels" phrase has no wide use in the English Schprachgebiet, apart ... are less widely used, and "dance on the head of a pin" is always a literal translation from (usually) English.[/nq]
Since it comes from medieval arg
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[nq:2]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
Angels, for starters ...
Angels, for starters ...
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[nq:2]That's silly, who could dance on the head of a pin?[/nq]
[nq:1]An angel isn't a "who".[/nq]
How come Horton heard one?
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]An angel isn't a "who".[/nq]
How come Horton heard one?
John Dean
Oxford
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