English language qu...
 
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English language question

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(@yswami)
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Aloha,

I have a question regarding a English word I saw few weeks ago but for the life of me I can recall the word! However, I do remember the example given to explain the word.

The word is used to describe phases like below
1. When the go get tough, the tough get going.
2. Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

Anyone?

Huge warm mahalos from Hawaii!

P.S.:Many could probably tell that English is not my first language from my posts:-) This is not a riddle but a genuine question.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:13 am
(@kent-mcmillan)
Posts: 11419
 

Tenacity?

Persistence?

Other options include:

Determination,

Grit,

Perseverance,

Steadfastness, and

Doggedness.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:16 am
(@john-harmon)
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Are you wanting the meaning of the phrase or what the phrase such as your example are called?

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:19 am
(@yswami)
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> Tenacity?
>
> Persistence?

That's not it Kent. I know these words.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:24 am
(@james-fleming)
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> Are you wanting the meaning of the phrase or what the phrase such as your example are called?

If it's the later, I'm going with:

A proverb [or proverbial phrase] is usually defined, an instructive sentence, or common and pithy saying, in which more is generally designed than expressed, famous for it peculiarity or elegance, and therefore adapted by the learned as well as the vulgar, by which it is distinguished from counterfeits which want such authority

— John Ray, A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs,1798

Although I'm not so sure the Kennedy quote makes the cut

List of proverbial phrases

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:25 am
(@yswami)
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> Are you wanting the meaning of the phrase or what the phrase such as your example are called?

Aloha, John:
I want to know what the phrases in example are called?

Thanks

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:26 am
(@kent-mcmillan)
Posts: 11419
 

Aphorism?

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:28 am
 rfc
(@rfc)
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An alternative...

An "adage":

A traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:31 am
(@rankin_file)
Posts: 4016
 

ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVERE

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:32 am
(@yswami)
Posts: 948
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> > Are you wanting the meaning of the phrase or what the phrase such as your example are called?
>
> If it's the later, I'm going with:
>
> A proverb [or proverbial phrase] is usually defined, an instructive sentence, or common and pithy saying, in which more is generally designed than expressed, famous for it peculiarity or elegance, and therefore adapted by the learned as well as the vulgar, by which it is distinguished from counterfeits which want such authority
>
> — John Ray, A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs,1798

>
> Although I'm not so sure the Kennedy quote makes the cut
>
> List of proverbial phrases

Aloha, James:
Not a proverb. I do recall part of the explanation was "a word or phase use to counter its previous meaning." or something like that.
I found the work on vocabulary.com website. I searched the site with no luck.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:32 am
(@yswami)
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Not that either:-(

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:35 am
(@yswami)
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An alternative...

> An "adage":
>
> A traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation.

No Bob...this not it.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:36 am
(@yswami)
Posts: 948
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Where is Holy Cow when I need em? 🙂

> Aloha,
>
> I have a question regarding a English word I saw few weeks ago but for the life of me I can recall the word! However, I do remember the example given to explain the word.
>
> The word is used to describe phases like below
> 1. When the go get tough, the tough get going.
> 2. Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
>
> Anyone?
>
> Huge warm mahalos from Hawaii!
>
> P.S.:Many could probably tell that English is not my first language from my posts:-) This is not a riddle but a genuine question.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:37 am
(@deleted-user)
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colloquialism?

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:45 am
(@dave-karoly)
Posts: 12001
 

I would call those platitudes.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:51 am
(@kent-mcmillan)
Posts: 11419
 

I'll bet the word was "chiasmus".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasmus

http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/#word=chiasmus

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:51 am
(@yswami)
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Kent you nailed it!!!

What a relief! I can sleep tonight. I've been thinking--to much--about this for couple weeks now!

Thank you so much Kent! :good: :good: :good:

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:54 am
(@kent-mcmillan)
Posts: 11419
 

Kent you nailed it!!!

Well, for what it's worth, it's a word that wasn't in my vocabulary. So, thanks for the opportunity to add it.

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:56 am
(@yswami)
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Kent you nailed it!!!

How did you figured it out?

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:57 am
(@Anonymous)
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When the go get tough, the tough get going. 

An Aussie Advertisement for jeans. Hard Yakka.
Not an uncommon phrase here.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3N4vxMuxjK g">Hard Yakka TV Commercial

Hard Yakka

 
Posted : January 16, 2015 11:58 am
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