English Lesson for Dumbshits...

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:58 pm

I agree. I support it. I would help hold the door shut while those broadcasters practiced. However. on acronyms, my experience in government, military, business informs me that there is no combination of initials that cannot be pronounced.

snailgate.

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Tue Sep 20, 2016 10:17 pm

I had to add my two cents worth to say that the longer we are without George Carlin, the more we will come to appreciate just what it was he was saying while he was here. I'd LOVE to hear what his take on the Trumpster would be.

-"BB"-

Econoline · Post by **Econoline** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:26 am

This one might apply:

“Think about how stupid the average person is...and then realize that half of ‘em are stupider than that.”

– George Carlin

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 5:34 am

Bicycle Bill wrote:... I'd LOVE to hear what his take on the Trumpster would be.

Carlin on Trump:
http://www.satiratribune.com/2016/04/24 ... ise-power/
Whereas I question the source I can't find anything in a search that says this is false. Regardless, it sounds good and, if true, supports the true genius of Carlin.

And a footnote -- Carlin's daughter on what she feels her father would be saying about Drumpf.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/geo ... 568f86481f

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:47 pm

Econoline wrote:This one might apply:
“Think about how stupid the average person is...and then realize that half of ‘em are stupider than that.”

– George Carlin

He means the median person, not the average.

yrs,
rubato

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:49 pm

rubato wrote:
Econoline wrote:This one might apply:
“Think about how stupid the average person is...and then realize that half of ‘em are stupider than that.”

– George Carlin
He means the median person, not the average.

yrs,
rubato

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:04 pm

Mean, Median, Mode, are all terms technically defined in statistics. In an array of the entire US population, the theory of normal distribution is that in such a large set, all three terms would describe essentially the same point.

"Average" is a more general and like similar 'typical' is not narrowly or mathematically precisely defined in ordinary conversation.

But I could be wrong.

snailgate

oldr_n_wsr · Post by **oldr_n_wsr** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:15 pm

Channelling mediator634 (or whatever his handle was). We need clarification on average vs medain vs midpoint.

wesw · Post by **wesw** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:26 pm

median is correct in this instance as carlin referred to half of the population being on the dumber side. (half minus one ,really)

the average dumbass is variable according to degrees of dumbness.

however, carlin, while being wrong, was also correct in that "average" rolls of the tongue and into the mind easily whereas "median" is used less often and is not as easily

digested. this is important because carlin was going for a laugh in a comedy routine and he was not conducting a grammar seminar.

so, in this particular instance, using proper grammar would be the incorrect choice.

sincerely,

Easton Shaw

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:32 pm

Average can mean, median or mode. But mean is usually inferred when you say average (add all numbers together and divide by the number (quantity) of numbers)

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 5:31 pm

Crackpot wrote:Average can mean, median or mode. But mean is usually inferred when you say average (add all numbers together and divide by the number (quantity) of numbers)

No it isn't.

The median is the point at which half the data points are lower and half are higher. The average and the median are defined differently and only numerically the same in limited circumstances.

It is important to keep them straight because each is used differently to understand the distribution of the data.

The median household income (per this source) is $52,000/yr while the mean (average) is $68,000.

If you were charged with designing taxation laws or other public policies you would need to know which you were using and what it said about the US population.

The difference here also tells you that the highest income groups skew the average upwards.

yrs,
rubato

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 5:52 pm

av·er·age
ˈav(ə)rij/
noun
noun: average; plural noun: averages; noun: avg.

1. a number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data, in particular the mode, median, or (most commonly) the mean, which is calculated by dividing the sum of the values in the set by their number.

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 6:58 pm

Note he says no it isn't and then provides no argument of contradiction and in fact corroborates my statement.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:12 pm

Well, the "average person" may be average based upon income or age or whatever. In fact, it would be a class of average persons.

To say that the average person is 32.8 years old (not a real number, just a frinstance) says nothing at all about how intelligent that person is.

An "average person" as one of the set of "average persons" may be highly intelligent, sub-normal or something else.

Carlin would have been closer to achieving better "English" if he'd said (instead): "a person of average intelligence", not "the average person".

I still think "median" is a further improvement.

oldr_n_wsr · Post by **oldr_n_wsr** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 5:24 pm

On average we should all mean what we say.

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 6:34 pm

Yes, we should. But in more than average instances, both typical and atypical, persons seeking national elective office rarely do. Preferred practice is to have a fleet of paid and unpaid individuals giving a 'spin' on what the office seeker really meant to say.

I regard them as similar to the traditional last person in the circus parade, the one with shovel and broom.

Long Run · Post by **Long Run** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 6:53 pm

MajGenl.Meade wrote: Carlin would have been closer to achieving better "English" if he'd said (instead): "a person of average intelligence", not "the average person".

I still think "median" is a further improvement.

And this is an example of why he is a comic genius and none of us pedants are.

MGMcAnick · Post by **MGMcAnick** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 7:01 pm

I was a big fan, but I have to disagree with George on a couple of counts. First, have you ever tried to read Chaucer or Shakespeare in their original form? The English (or at least the American) language continues to evolve, just as it has since Geoffery's day. Please just let it evolve.

I have NEVER heard anyone pronounce forte the same a fort. Maybe it's a local thing.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forte

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 7:42 pm

Long Run wrote:
MajGenl.Meade wrote: Carlin would have been closer to achieving better "English" if he'd said (instead): "a person of average intelligence", not "the average person".

I still think "median" is a further improvement.
And this is an example of why he is a comic genius and none of us pedants are.

No - he's dead. I'm a comic genius but unpaid....

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