It occurs to me in watching my son learn the most basic lessons of early life, that perhaps some might find it more helpful to focus on the essentials before the imperatives.
Lesson number one - a steady head! - 1-L #1
Zone 1 - a stable, well balanced 'post'
One month down and the little guy has at least a fair bit of this lesson mastered!
As much as the 'imperatives' truly are that, I would love to hear more from Lynn and others who know a bit of the evolution of Homer's thoughts on them as being separate from essentials.
Why aren't they all 'imperative'? Simply because you can compensate for improper essentials? Isn't a soft throw away lob a compenstated imperative?
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"we have no friends, we have no enemies, we have only teachers"
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EDZ, I think it is too early -you are still on baby overload,surely?
On a serious note ,you may be right -If you are teaching a youngster,they are like sponges!
EDZ, I think it is too early -you are still on baby overload,surely?
On a serious note ,you may be right -If you are teaching a youngster,they are like sponges!
Yep - sleep, who needs it!
__________________
"Support the On Plane Swinging Force in Balance"
"we have no friends, we have no enemies, we have only teachers"
Simplicity buffs, see 5-0, 1-L, 2-0 A and B 10-2-B, 4-D, 6B-1D, 6-B-3-0-1, 6-C-1, 6-E-2
From my limited understanding of the English language if something is essential then you must have it no if's or but's. Therefore essential and imperative each have the same meaning.
From my limited understanding of the English language if something is essential then you must have it no if's or but's. Therefore essential and imperative each have the same meaning.
Mike-O and others had some good posts on that subject here:
I think these words may appear to be synonomous with one another, but in the context of TGM they are distinctive.
imperative is unavoidable and non-negotiable - a directive
essential is indespensible (disposed of at owner's risk) and advisable - an instructive
It is imperative that you leave the burning building, it is not essential that you use a door! Words serve our purposes, not the other way around. Afterall, how many concocted words did Billy Wobbledagger introduce into that mongrel lexicon that is english?
In the context of TGM:
I would rather look like Curtis Strange at impact, as opposed to Curtis Strange at top!
I found a dictionary that defined "imperative" in certain contexts as: "absolutely necessary". The same dictionary defined "essential" in certain contexts as: "necessary". Thomas Jefferson once remarked that "the greatest of all talents is that of not using two words when one will do." Another great talent is that of not using two golf strokes when one will do. If something is "necessary" it doesn't need "absolutely" to modify it. Even dictionaries don't always succeed in demonstrating the talent that Jefferson declared to be so great. Imperative and essential are synonyms and only an author's intended or perceived semantic difference between the two could possibly convey a difference in meaning between the two.
I would treat TGM's "essentials" and "imperatives" as interchangeable or equal unless you want to give one a certain "absolute" that the other doesn't quite deserve. If you do give one more absoluteness than the other, "imperative" usually wins the debate as to which is the stronger word. A cultural difference versus a relative sameness.
Language is heavily influenced by subjective construction. The closest we come to objective certainty is by studying the etymology of the word in question. The root then becomes the standard. I agree that impertative "seems" the stronger of the word, so HK communicated his point successfully. So in that sense they are purposefully not used as synonyms! That is why I always say that whoever scripts a culture's vernacular, controls the culture! Words are containers for POWER! I shudder when young people promise a simile every second sentence...then not deliver. "I'm like totally....!"
I appreciate HK developing a "standard" of expression relating to the golf stroke. Twenty versions to describe the same concept it too much for the simple likes of me! Give me accumulators etc. any old day!
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