Talk:Exception that proves the rule

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Actually, I disagree with this somewhat. The word "prove" here (which does indeed come from Latin) is used in its Old English meaning of "test". So we were originally talking about "The exception which tests the rule." The idea being that the rule needed to be challenged by, and be able to explain, exceptions to it.--BobNot Jim 18:14, 31 October 2009 (UTC)

Well, three years later and I was definitely wrong when I wrote that. Hearing someone use the same phrase in Spanish made me rethink my position. I've added substantiation to the Latin interpretation.--Bob"I think you'll find it's more complicated than that." 10:08, 13 October 2013 (UTC)
OK, make the necessary changes. ŴêâŝêîôîďWeaselly.jpgMethinks it is a Weasel 19:27, 31 October 2009 (UTC)
That's how I remember it as. I've added a footnote to that effect as I didn't feel the article needed changing much, the phrase is often used in the "to prove" sense that we'd understand it, rather than the original "to test" meaning. Scarlet A.pngpathetic 19:33, 31 October 2009 (UTC)
I've moved it into the text. The two older meanings are both valid; it's just the modern colloquial meaning which is paradoxical. ŴêâŝêîôîďWeaselly.jpgMethinks it is a Weasel 19:46, 31 October 2009 (UTC)
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