Karel Thoenissen <thoenissen@hello.nl> writes:

> Exactly the same thing in Dutch: 'uitzonderingen bevestigen de regel'
> (exceptions _confirm_ the rule). To my knowledge and that of my dictionary this
> is not taken from English. I took a look in my dictionary of proverbs, with
> proverbal translations and explanations in each of these langauges:
> 
> Dutch     Uitzonderingen bevestigen de regel      => Geen regel zonder
> uitzondeing
> German  Ausnahmen best�tigen die Regel          => Keine Regel ohne Ausnahme
> French    L' exception confirme la r�gle              => Pas de r�gle sans
> exception
> English    Exceptions prove the rule                    => There is no rule
> without some exception

Actually I think very few native English-speakers have other than the
vaguest of ideas on the meaning of this one. I suspect the meaning
of a proverb is what people think it is, not what a textbook says ..

I rather think I'm one of the confused.

Something like "if a rule appears to have exceptions, you need to
demonstrate that they aren't really exceptions or modify the rule."

Clearly _not_ what your dictionary says ..

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Simon Wright                       Work Email: simon.j.wright@amsjv.com
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