tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post8198522152266537179..comments2024-03-26T11:22:41.940-07:00Comments on Genea-Musings: Over-used Genealogy IdiomsRandy Seaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477703429102065294noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-81292333032701607912008-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:002008-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:00Randy, as I'm something of a language nut, I was i...Randy, as I'm something of a language nut, I was interested in the list you mentioned of genealogical idioms. I think the best example on your own list is "shirttail relative", as the most ordinary definitions don't give you the meaning of the phrase. (Webster's 3rd does give one meaning of the adjective "shirttail" as "distantly and indefinitely related", but it's not a commonly used meaning except in conjunction with "relative".)<BR/><BR/>I don't think I would agree with your other choices. The meaning of "broaden a search" seems to fit pretty well within the most common definitions of the constituent words (to broaden something is to extend it past its existing limits).<BR/><BR/>"Elusive" is a borderline case, but "elusive" does have the definition of "difficult to isolate or identify". <BR/><BR/>I think "discover your family history" is pretty clear from its constituent words. <BR/><BR/>To identify something as an idiom, I think you have to say that you could not use the more common definitions of the constituent words and use them to create the meaning of the phrase.Drew Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12537180168534039546noreply@blogger.com