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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
What I tell you three times is true
I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark.
I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating context. One person posts something, another poster queries it, the first poster has to get references.
I've forgotton how it goes, and where I saw it, and who wrote the article. My Google-Fu is weak. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Does anyone have a link or enough information for me to find the article?
Searching Google and Google groups gives me very many hits for tHotS, or people just saying "What I tell you three times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.
Thank you.
I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating context. One person posts something, another poster queries it, the first poster has to get references.
I've forgotton how it goes, and where I saw it, and who wrote the article. My Google-Fu is weak. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Does anyone have a link or enough information for me to find the article?
Searching Google and Google groups gives me very many hits for tHotS, or people just saying "What I tell you three times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.
Thank you.
Top answer
[nq:1]I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark. I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating ... [/nq] Are you saying this: in the process of teaching students how to debate effectively, some teacher or textbook writer said there was a technique called "What I tell you three times is true" and it ran like thus-and-so?
- [nq:1]I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark.
- I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating ...
- [/nq] Are you saying this: in the process of teaching students how to debate effectively, some teacher or textbook writer said there was a technique called "What I tell you three times is true" and it ran like thus-and-so?
- And you're hoping to find out more about that technique.
- I tried searching on "What I tell you three times is true" (debate OR debating) and it turned up a small number of hits, but nothing relevant.
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24 Answers
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[nq:1]I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark. I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating ... tHotS, or people just saying "What I tell you three times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.[/nq]
Are you saying this: in the process of teaching students how to debate effectively, some teacher or textbook writer said there was a technique called "What I tell you th
Are you saying this: in the process of teaching students how to debate effectively, some teacher or textbook writer said there was a technique called "What I tell you th
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[nq:1]I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark. I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating ... tHotS, or people just saying "What I tell you three times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.[/nq]
I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein:
It gives the Lewis Carrol quote:
"Just the place for a
I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein:
It gives the Lewis Carrol quote:
"Just the place for a
00
[nq:2]Searching Google and Google groups gives me very many hits ... times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.[/nq]
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
Maybe it's some sort of weird inversion of the whole "Before a *** crows today, you will deny Me three times" thing.
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
Maybe it's some sort of weird inversion of the whole "Before a *** crows today, you will deny Me three times" thing.
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Dylan Nicholson biomed:
[nq:2]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
[nq:1]Maybe it's some sort of weird inversion of the whole "Before a *** crows today, you will deny Me three times" thing.[/nq]
Is it just me, then? I'd always understood it to be a secret code. "Don't believe what I say, because enemies are listening
[nq:2]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
[nq:1]Maybe it's some sort of weird inversion of the whole "Before a *** crows today, you will deny Me three times" thing.[/nq]
Is it just me, then? I'd always understood it to be a secret code. "Don't believe what I say, because enemies are listening
00
Mark Barratt filted:
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: It ... you three times is true." and also has lots of stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
Also from Carroll is the line from "You Are Old, Father William":
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough"
Such an att
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: It ... you three times is true." and also has lots of stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
Also from Carroll is the line from "You Are Old, Father William":
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough"
Such an att
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[nq:1]Mark Barratt filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me ... stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
[nq:1]Also from Carroll is the line from "You Are Old, Father William": "I have answered three questions, and that is enough" Such an attitude wouldn't go over well at a seder..r[/nq]
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
[nq:2]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me ... stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
[nq:1]Also from Carroll is the line from "You Are Old, Father William": "I have answered three questions, and that is enough" Such an attitude wouldn't go over well at a seder..r[/nq]
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
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[nq:2]I know this comes from the Hunting of the Snark. ... times is true", and I'd really like a clearer explanation.[/nq]
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
snip
... What I tell you three times is true."
[nq:1]and also has lots of stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
And a math
[nq:1]I found the following site, after searching on "tell me three times" which I knew was from Heinlein: [/nq]
snip
... What I tell you three times is true."
[nq:1]and also has lots of stuff about 'the rule of three', which might help you.[/nq]
And a math
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[nq:1]I've seen another usage of it though, in a debating context. One person posts something, another poster queries it, the first poster has to get references.[/nq]
Hegelian dialectic ?
Hegelian dialectic ?
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Threes do set set up a mental resonance. Folklore is full of them. There are the stangely moving little Triads of Ireland , for example. And The Lyke-Wake Dirge :
"This ae nighte, this ae nighte/
Every nighte and alle,/
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,/
And Christe receive thy saule."
Political speeches often group things in threes; and it seems significant that while I think
"This ae nighte, this ae nighte/
Every nighte and alle,/
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,/
And Christe receive thy saule."
Political speeches often group things in threes; and it seems significant that while I think
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[nq:1]In the garden, a group of three plants often looks better than a pair. Have we in some way internalized an awareness that a tripod won't wobble?[/nq]
Well, when you sleep in a tree (as chimps still do) there is a certain evolutionary advantage to it.
Jan
Well, when you sleep in a tree (as chimps still do) there is a certain evolutionary advantage to it.
Jan
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