Off-topic Q

[D Ramapriya]

Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)

Ramapriya

[John Smith]

D Ramapriya wrote:
> shouldn't a near-miss actually be a collision

No. This would be a nearly-miss.

[a[_3_]]

On Jul 20, 3:36*am, D Ramapriya > wrote:
> Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
> actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>
> Ramapriya

A 'Near Miss' means there's an unmarried woman in the immediate
proximity. It's an important issue because some people who used to
post here a lot had restraining orders preventing them from being near
misses.

[Richard[_11_]]

On Jul 20, 8:56*am, a > wrote:
> On Jul 20, 3:36*am, D Ramapriya > wrote:
>
> > Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
> > actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>
> > Ramapriya
>
> A 'Near Miss' *means there's an unmarried woman in the immediate
> proximity. It's an important issue because some people who used to
> post here a lot had restraining orders preventing them from being near
> misses.

Or Mrs. (which is a nearly-Miss, see also: milf)

[D Ramapriya]

On Jul 20, 4:24*pm, Clark > wrote:
> D Ramapriya > wrote in news:0850a07f-9837-4575-92c0-
> :
>
> > Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
> > actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>
> > Ramapriya
>
> No. It seems some folks fail to understand that a "miss" can be near or far
> and still be a miss.


It's the hyphenation that makes the "near" more an adjective than
adverb. "Near miss" would be a lot clearer than "near-miss". While a
near-miss in itself doesn't mean a collision, just as not unreasonable
doesn't = reasonable, it does indicate that a miss was nearly missed.
After all, a near-death experience shows a brush with death, ergo a
near-collision would be nearer the intended conveyance than near-miss.

The engine at full throttle, when the opposite is apropos, is another
such term...

The pettifoggery of semantics ;)

Ramapriya

[Jim Logajan]

Clark > wrote:
> D Ramapriya > wrote:
>> Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
>> actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>
> No. It seems some folks fail to understand that a "miss" can be near
> or far and still be a miss.

Sorry, but the phrase "far miss" appears at best to be an oxymoron. In fact
"near miss" appears in various Thesaurus as a synonym for "collision".

[John Smith]

Jim Logajan wrote:

> Sorry, but the phrase "far miss" appears at best to be an oxymoron. In fact
> "near miss" appears in various Thesaurus as a synonym for "collision".

Let me guess: Those were online thesauri?

[Ricky]

On Jul 20, 2:36*am, D Ramapriya > wrote:
> Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
> actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>
> Ramapriya

I agree.
"Near miss" seems, logically, to indicate that there WAS a collision
but was "nearly" missed.
The oddity of the english language.

Ricky

[Jim Logajan]

Clark > wrote:
> Jim Logajan > wrote:
>> Clark > wrote:
>>> D Ramapriya > wrote:
>>>> Was wondering about this term "near-miss"... shouldn't a near-miss
>>>> actually be a collision and a near-collision a miss? :)
>>>
>>> No. It seems some folks fail to understand that a "miss" can be near
>>> or far and still be a miss.
>>
>> Sorry, but the phrase "far miss" appears at best to be an oxymoron.
>> In fact "near miss" appears in various Thesaurus as a synonym for
>> "collision".
>>
>
> The phrase you are looking for is nearly missed.

On reading the exchange between you and Ramapriya I entered the following
search pattern in Google to see who might consider "near miss" as a synonym
for "collision":
"near miss" collision synonym
And this was returned as the first result:
http://freethesaurus.net/s.php?q=collision

> A near miss is defined by wordweb as a narrowly missed collision. In
> other words, I suggest you consult higher quality reference material.

But "near miss" is an idiom ("idiom" being used here to mean "an expression
whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent
elements.") Trying to rationalize an idiom like "near miss" is
counterproductive. The idiom is probably confusing to people learning the
English language.

[Stefan]

Jim Logajan schrieb:

> "near miss" collision synonym
> And this was returned as the first result:
> http://freethesaurus.net/s.php?q=collision

If a free web site with unknown sources claims so, then is *must* be true.

On the other hand, the OED (Oxford English Dictionary, the big one) says:
"near miss, a shot that only just misses a target"
But since it's neither on the web nor free, I wouldn't trust it.

> The idiom is probably confusing to people learning the
> English language.

Well, English was only the third language I've learn't in school. But I
must admit that I have never been particularly confused by the
difference between near and nearly.

[a[_3_]]

On Jul 21, 2:27*pm, John Smith > wrote:
> Jim Logajan wrote:
> > Sorry, but the phrase "far miss" appears at best to be an oxymoron. In fact
> > "near miss" appears in various Thesaurus as a synonym for "collision".
>
> Let me guess: Those were online thesauri?

This is an aviation themed forum, and among those who speak airplane
the meaning of near miss is well understood.

[Jim Logajan]

Stefan > wrote:
> Jim Logajan schrieb:
>
>> "near miss" collision synonym
>> And this was returned as the first result:
>> http://freethesaurus.net/s.php?q=collision
>
> If a free web site with unknown sources claims so, then is *must* be
> true.

Amusing. Please note that URL proves someone assumed "near miss" was a
synonym for "collision" and entered that conclusion into that web site. So
I take it as a given that someone misunderstood the generally accepted
meaning of the idiom. It's one datum against continued use of "near miss."

> On the other hand, the OED (Oxford English Dictionary, the big one)
> says: "near miss, a shot that only just misses a target"
> But since it's neither on the web nor free, I wouldn't trust it.

"Locus ab auctoritate est infirmissimus"

>> The idiom is probably confusing to people learning the
>> English language.
>
> Well, English was only the third language I've learn't in school. But
> I must admit that I have never been particularly confused by the
> difference between near and nearly.

I already noted one entity claiming "near miss" was a synonym for
"collision" so your non-confusion is not really relevant. The issue isn't
about our definition.

The fact that this thread even exits is another datum against continued use
of the idiom.

But go ahead and use "near miss" instead of simply "miss" or "near
collision." If it means that much to everyone, feel free to encourage
people in using it. I wouldn't want to stand in the way of progress.

[D Ramapriya]

On Jul 21, 8:27*pm, Clark > wrote:
> D Ramapriya > wrote in news:80432c67-1153-4b0f-ab44-
>
> Poppycock. All the hyphenation means is that the words in the phrase can't be
> separated and retain the same meaning.
>
> Stop making things up and you'll have a much easier time in life.

Thanks for your time, counsel and erudition, mate.

Ramapriya

[D Ramapriya]

On Jul 22, 2:25*am, a > wrote:
>
> This is an aviation themed forum, and among those who speak airplane
> the meaning of near miss is well understood.


Quite. I'm sorry if the thread in any way suggested that there's a
lack of clarity on what it meant.

Ramapriya