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Dareka Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
"the nationals" and "move the needle"
I have two questions.
First, when you say like "the americans" with definte article seemingly for, at least to me, general nationals as in "the poll shows that the american people are strongly against the health care plan", what is the nuance of it? It seems to me the definite article is sometimes added and the other times not added, and they have patterns. I can't see the criteria.
Second, I bumped into a phrase "move the needle" in sentence "About half of the 20 percent is still on the table for discussion and, depending on which way the conferees go, could move the needle one way or the other. " in this http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=127354113. It seems to me "the needle" is a needle of a compass or whatnot in this usage and meaning "the direction". But when I googled for the phrase, the hits rather suggested it is a needle of some kind of meter or an indicator of progress. What is the meaning in this particular sentence?
First, when you say like "the americans" with definte article seemingly for, at least to me, general nationals as in "the poll shows that the american people are strongly against the health care plan", what is the nuance of it? It seems to me the definite article is sometimes added and the other times not added, and they have patterns. I can't see the criteria.
Second, I bumped into a phrase "move the needle" in sentence "About half of the 20 percent is still on the table for discussion and, depending on which way the conferees go, could move the needle one way or the other. " in this http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=127354113. It seems to me "the needle" is a needle of a compass or whatnot in this usage and meaning "the direction". But when I googled for the phrase, the hits rather suggested it is a needle of some kind of meter or an indicator of progress. What is the meaning in this particular sentence?
Top answer
dareka "move the needle" change. could move the needle one way or the other = could change one way or the other. The reference is to any sort of measuring device which has a needle.
- dareka "move the needle" change.
- could move the needle one way or the other = could change one way or the other.
- The reference is to any sort of measuring device which has a needle.
- CJ
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6 Answers
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dareka"move the needle"change.
could move the needle one way or the other = could change one way or the other.
The reference is to any sort of measuring device which has a needle.
CJ
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what is the nuance of it?
"The Americans" simply indicates that the author is not one of them. It's often a pejorative.
"The American people" has a different sense. It just means all of the people taken as a whole. "The" may be omitted without changing the sense.
"The Americans" simply indicates that the author is not one of them. It's often a pejorative.
"The American people" has a different sense. It just means all of the people taken as a whole. "The" may be omitted without changing the sense.
00
>The reference is to any sort of measuring device which has a needle.
I understood it's simply a figurative expression which have different meaning by context.
Thanks.
I understood it's simply a figurative expression which have different meaning by context.
Thanks.
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>"The Americans" simply indicates that the author is not one of them. It's often a pejorative.
This is kind of interesting.
>"The American people" has a different sense. It just means all of the people taken as a whole. >"The" may be omitted without changing the sense.
I
This is kind of interesting.
>"The American people" has a different sense. It just means all of the people taken as a whole. >"The" may be omitted without changing the sense.
I
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What you say is true. I oversimplified.
"The Americans" is usually an expression used by an "outsider." It can be a pejorative.
"The American people are opposed etc." could be considered academic and could be said by anyone, native or otherwise. The stress is on "people."
"American people drink more beer than French people." The stress here is on "American."
But it c
"The Americans" is usually an expression used by an "outsider." It can be a pejorative.
"The American people are opposed etc." could be considered academic and could be said by anyone, native or otherwise. The stress is on "people."
"American people drink more beer than French people." The stress here is on "American."
But it c
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darekaI understood it's simply a figurative expression which have different meaning by context.Yes. You are correct. I suppose you could call it a figurative reference. No real measuring device is being spoken about.
CJ
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