Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What the hell is going on at my old high school?

This is topic What the hell is going on at my old high school? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 05-12-2006, 08:52 AM:

Well, I got this e-mail this morning that's been passed through a chain, most of which includes my extended family.

This is not the high school I graduated from... its one that I was at for Grade 9 and 10.

Just exactly what the hell is going on there?!

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-12-2006, 12:34 PM:

Shouldn't this be in the random photos thread?

Looks like a prank pulled by some of the local kidds.

There were a couple of roll-around changeable message signs in our town when I was in high school. We used to change the letters all the time to obscene sayings and whatnot.

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 05-12-2006, 01:37 PM:

Sorry to spoil the fun (Intercourse has innocent meanings)

From the Oxford English Dictionary

quote:
intercourse, n.
1. Communication to and fro between countries, etc.; mutual dealings between the inhabitants of different localities. In early use exclusively with reference to trade, and hence sometimes = commerce, traffic; now in more general sense.

2. a. Social communication between individuals; frequent and habitual contact in conversation and action; dealings.

b. With of (= in respect of, as regards).

c. pl. Now rare.

d. Sexual connexion.

3. Communion between man and that which is spiritual or unseen.

4. Communication of ideas; discourse, conversation, discussion. Obs. (exc. as included in 2).

5. a. Intercommunication between things or parts.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 05-12-2006, 02:05 PM:

If not a prank, the words "discourse" or "interchange" or "discussion" would have been better choices.

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 05-12-2006, 06:36 PM:

Looks like someone removed the "W"

Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 05-12-2006, 10:02 PM:

Random picture's thread? Oh... NO! It's good enough for its own thread [Wink]

And Mark, words commonly take on other connotations... Look at the word "pedophile"; it means 'lover of children', but no one these days would go around proclaiming "I'm a pedophile!"

P.S. My original post was supposed to be light-hearted and funny, not serious...

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-15-2006, 12:29 PM:

It appears they waited until you left. Or perhaps you need to become a parent. I got it from the start. [thumbsup]

Sounds like that line from Sixteen Candles
"What's going on dear..."
"...SEX..."

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-16-2006, 01:35 PM:

quote: John Pytlak
If not a prank, the words "discourse" or "interchange" or "discussion" would have been better choices.

If it's not a prank, then the most likely explanation, IMHO, is that whoever decided to use the word 'intercourse' in that context doesn't have English as their first language. It's technically correct (as Mark points out) but shows that the author doesn't realise that in everyday use, the word is overwhelming associated with just one of the meanings on Mark's list. If so, that suggests to me that the author learnt English more from being formally taught it than using the language in an everyday situation.

quote:
Look at the word "pedophile"; it means 'lover of children', but no one these days would go around proclaiming "I'm a pedophile!"

There was an incident a few years back when a doctor was interviewed as an expert on child illnesses on a local radio station in South Wales. She was introduced by the presenter as a consultant paediatrician. Some of the local yokels confused that with paedophile, formed a lynch mob and burnt her house down. It would be funny if it wasn't true.