” to my mind this is not a bunch of people shmoozing at the water cooler; it is a focused discussion of a particular subject.”
Whoa, no comment necessary.
” If a poster were, in the context of this conversation, to launch into a scholarly conversation of the etymology of the phrase “tongue in cheek”, would you think that to be appropriate for the discussion?
For sure.
In truth I was at one point considering asking DY the difference between a simile, analogy and metaphor.
I had the impression you were criticizing myself particularly for not conforming to what you assumed the discussion to be. I don’t know where in the world I got that impression from, but I reacted to that criticism.
You now, by bringing this up and continuing the dialogue have diverted everyone’s attention from the specific issue that we must discuss. I refuse to continue this diversionary tactic.
Is this the first thread you’ve followed here?