The September 28 crosswords---On with the show!

[Thomps2525]

Lila Cherry's Los Angeles Times crossword includes FINALSTAGE, DINETTESET, IRONCURTAIN and TURKEYWINGS. "Broadway building" is THEATER and that is where the ends of those four words can be found. The central answer, SHOWS, is clued with "Broadway productions." Give my regards to Broadway.....

Today's debate topic concerns the answer to "Decelerated": SLOWEDUP. First question: Why do we say "slow up" instead of simply "slow"? Second question: Why do we also say "slow down" instead of simply "slow"? Third question: How can "slow up" and "slow down" have the same meaning when "up" and "down" are opposites? Next week we'll discuss why we say "stand up" and "sit down" instead of just "stand" and "sit."

Lynn Lempel put a lot of effort into today's Daily News crossword. The phrase that defines the theme, and the four related answers, are vertical. "I'll defer on this one" is ITSUPTOYOU and each theme answer---EXHAUSIVE, CAUSTIC, PETERUSTIOV and CHIEFJUSTICE---includes USTI in grey-shaded squares. The word "its" (minus the apostrophe) literally goes up to "U."

The Universal crossword includes ZESTFORLIFE, RELISHTHECHANCE and SAVORTHEMOMENTS. "Two-month period" is BIMESTER. It comes from the Latin words for "two" and "month." The word "semester" literally means "six-month period" but is most frequently used in reference to half of an academic year, which is usually 20 weeks. Until today, I had never seen or heard the word "bimester." I wonder if a judge has ever tried to show off his vocabulary by sentencing someone to a bimester in jail.

[magus]

 (Next week we'll discuss why we say "stand up" and "sit down" instead of just "stand" and "sit.")

I'd save myself the effort as idioms are not logical algorithms, nor is grammar --- why is only the third person singular in the present tense inflected with a -s?

[Thomps2525]

I had no intentions of discussing those phrases. I was just speaking in the role of leader of a weekly debate. But now that I think about it, why do we say "jump up and down" instead of just "jump"? I'm certain Isaac Newton would point out that when we jump, we go up and gravity will bring us back down.

[Thomps2525]

Now I'm thinking about hundreds of redundant expressions which contain a redundant redundancy. Why do we tell a child or a dog to "come here"? The simple command "Come!" is fine all by itself. Other redundancies are "free gift," "past history" and "sway back and forth." And when someone says "I'll be back later," yes, it would have to be later, wouldn't it? How about "This is a picture taken of me when I was younger"? Ummm.....yeah, I certainly can't argue with that statement. I really need to find a language-and-grammar forum where I can complain. After all, Cruciverb.com is all about crosswords as opposed to words.

[magus]

T-man:
Perhaps if you read a few books on the history of the language you might have a different perspective on its nature and no longer feel the need to complain.  (Pointing out the illogicalities, however, is not necessarily complaining, and it can be fun since most of us are unaware that our most common phrases are redundant.)  It may also be helpful to note the very real difference between the colloquial and the formal in both speech and writing.  When I played baseball, for example, I yelled "I got it!" when in fact I had not yet gotten it.  Sometimes I was so bold as to assert "Mine!" when in fact the ball was not mine but the team's.

[Thomps2525]

Yes, but did you ever enter a cave and notice small flecks of gold and holler "Mine"?