From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00, PP_MIME_FAKE_ASCII_TEXT autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII X-Google-Thread: 103376,447bd1cf7a88c198 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-01-10 21:07:58 PST Path: supernews.google.com!sn-xit-02!supernews.com!news.gv.tsc.tdk.com!news.iac.net!news-out.cwix.com!newsfeed.cwix.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!dispose.news.demon.net!demon!news.demon.co.uk!demon!pogner.demon.co.uk!zap!not-for-mail From: Simon Wright Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Do we need "Mission-Critical" software? Was: What to Do? Date: 09 Jan 2001 22:05:14 +0000 Organization: CodeFella Message-ID: References: <3A4F5A4A.9ABA2C4F@chicagonet.net> <3A4F759E.A7D63F3F@netwood.net> <3A50ABDF.3A8F6C0D@acm.org> <92qdnn$jfg$1@news.huji.ac.il> <3A50C371.8B7B871@home.com> <3A51EC04.91353CE7@uol.com.br> <3A529C97.2CA4777F@home.com> <3A53CB9E.EA7CF86C@uol.com.br> <3A5466DE.811D43A5@acm.org> <932aol$ikc$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <932mi6$r2k$1@trog.dera.gov.uk> <9343b1$3g5$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <934iuf$eqv$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <934kt2$gbh$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <937jvn$si3$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <93bv37$43b$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <93e2d1$spv$1@ <3A5B054B.3CF03325@hello.nl> NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost X-NNTP-Posting-Host: pogner.demon.co.uk:158.152.70.98 X-Trace: news.demon.co.uk 979189353 nnrp-12:21513 NO-IDENT pogner.demon.co.uk:158.152.70.98 X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net NNTP-Posting-Date: 9 Jan 2001 22:05:18 GMT X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.7/Emacs 20.7 Xref: supernews.google.com comp.lang.ada:3898 Date: 2001-01-09T22:05:18+00:00 List-Id: Karel Thoenissen 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 .. -- Simon Wright Work Email: simon.j.wright@amsjv.com Alenia Marconi Systems Voice: +44(0)23-9270-1778 Integrated Systems Division FAX: +44(0)23-9270-1800