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Catttt Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
the civilising powers that be exert control at the behest of a willing populace
What does the highlighted sentence mean?
Historically, the term has been applied to describe the area that is enclosed and safe [and] accepted as “home”, implying a zone in which the civilising powers that be exert control at the behest of a willing populace. Hence, to go ‘beyond the pale’ was not permissible and, as modern usage suggests, an intolerable and dangerous affront to obedient civic life.
Historically, the term has been applied to describe the area that is enclosed and safe [and] accepted as “home”, implying a zone in which the civilising powers that be exert control at the behest of a willing populace. Hence, to go ‘beyond the pale’ was not permissible and, as modern usage suggests, an intolerable and dangerous affront to obedient civic life.
Top answer
a zone in which [the civilising powers that be / exert control / at the behest of a willing populace] "powers that be" is a set phrase meaning the established authority or administration. Probably this part is what is confusing you. e.
- a zone in which [the civilising powers that be / exert control / at the behest of a willing populace] "powers that be" is a set phrase meaning the established authority or administration.
- Probably this part is what is confusing you.
- e.
- the "willing populace" command the civilising powers to act in the way described.
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9 Answers
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a zone in which [the civilising powers that be / exert control / at the behest of a willing populace]
"powers that be" is a set phrase meaning the established authority or administration. Probably this part is what is confusing you.
"at the behest of" means "at the request/command of", i.e. the "willing populace" command the civilising powers to act in the way described.
"powers that be" is a set phrase meaning the established authority or administration. Probably this part is what is confusing you.
"at the behest of" means "at the request/command of", i.e. the "willing populace" command the civilising powers to act in the way described.
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Hi
Just as a PS - the expression 'the pale' tends to refer to a part of a city that was fenced off, for Jewish folk. The policy was to restrict their trading with other people. If a Jewish person had exemptions from that rule, they could go "beyond the pale"
The usage is 18th century, or earlier. Here is one webpage on the subject ...
Just as a PS - the expression 'the pale' tends to refer to a part of a city that was fenced off, for Jewish folk. The policy was to restrict their trading with other people. If a Jewish person had exemptions from that rule, they could go "beyond the pale"
The usage is 18th century, or earlier. Here is one webpage on the subject ...
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@GPY So, does the highlighted sentence mean "a zone in which the rules are applied according to the request of the inhabitants of that zone"? My problem is with "a willing populace". Does it mean the inhabitants of the zone or something else?
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By the way, just a small observation ... the symbol "@" does not (as far as I am aware) have any significance to the forum software. There is no reason to put "@" before someone's name when addressing them unless the system you are using requires it for some special purpose.
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dave_anonJust as a PS - the expression 'the pale' tends to refer to ...Also a cognate with Spanish "palo" as in the city Palo Alto (California), where Stanford University is located. Apparently there was once a tall tree (stick?) there that was used as a point of geographical reference.
CJ
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Coming from the UK, I most strongly associate "The Pale" with a region of Ireland. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pale)
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GPY thank you! And the last question. Does "an intolerable and dangerous affront to obedient civic life" mean:
1. breaking the rules of the community inhabiting the pale
or
2. encountering the civic life existing outside the pale
1. breaking the rules of the community inhabiting the pale
or
2. encountering the civic life existing outside the pale
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red apple1. breaking the rules of the community inhabiting the paleThis one (roughly).
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