Discuss Famous Quotes Thread

[Nacian]

''Is a dog a man best's friend''?

my answer is NO it can't be.
the reasons are the following:

1)when I think of best man I think of weddings.
2)when I think of friends I think of people
3)and I think of dog I think of tow things:
a)an cute animal
the other
b)a reference to a badly behaved man.

4)when I think of the word BEST as word on its own.
I think of George Best..RIp of course!

5)and I also of the expression
''diamond's are a girl best friend''

what do you think?

[JosephB]

You're being WAY too literal. I'm guessing you're here because you're some kind of writer. So use you're imagination.

[Nacian]

You're being WAY too literal. I'm guessing you're here because you're some kind of writer. So use you're imagination.

how do you mean by I am so kind of writer?
I am a linguist and so when I look at a word I see it literally first because that how you learn a langauge you cannot help it.
is anything I said not right?

[Bruno Spatola]

"Man's best friend" -- as I understand it, anyway -- is just a phrase summing up the kind of relationships humans generally have with dogs. It doesn't necessarily mean they're literally our best friends, just as diamonds aren't literally a girl's best friend. They aren't facts you learn in textbooks, they're just nice phrases and nothing more; I don't read into them any more than that.

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog."

Hope that helps.

[JosephB]

how do you mean by I am so kind of writer?
I am a linguist and so when I look at a word I see it literally first because that how you learn a langauge you cannot help it.
is anything I said not right?

I'm saying that because you're on this forum, it's a good bet you're a writer or you aspire to be one. If so, I'm also betting you have an imagination. Considering these sayings requires that you use your imagination -- and that means going beyond the literal meaning or what first comes to mind.

In this case "man" means mankind. And of all the animals, dogs are the most loyal to man. So you could say a dog is a man's best friend, or dogs are man's best friend.

[Nacian]

I'm saying that because you're on this forum, it's a good bet you're a writer or you aspire to be one. If so, I'm also betting you have an imagination. Considering these sayings requires that you use your imagination -- and that means going beyond the literal meaning or what first comes to mind.

In this case "man" means mankind. And of all the animals, dogs are the most loyal to man. So you could say a dog is a man's best friend, or dogs are man's best friend.

I clearly agree with you and yes like you Ihave like an imagination but that does not mean I should settle for anyhting.
I was having a look at the way it was outlined and kept as a quote and wondered why such a quote and why is it that no one questions it.
a dog is as far as I know is not a friend but more of a company, docile and unjudgmental. a dog deos exactly what it is told by his owner.
that for me is not friendship.
a human relationhip with the dog is one way. where is the friendship here?
frendship can only exist if it is reciprocated at all levels. speech feeling and actions.
a dog deos not speak back or demand back the same treatement it is given by his owner.
the second thing that caught my attention was the word BEST.
Best is my opinion a bit far fetched.
I thought humans between them can the BEST bond and not with animals.

[JosephB]

Well, OK. Again, it's about comparing dogs to other animals. It's not a friendship in the literal sense like it is between human beings. It's just meant to illustrate that dogs are loyal. These sayings are used to quickly communicate more complex ideas, that's all. And they don't work if you take them too literally.

[Nacian]

another saying

'you can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink'

in what context would you use this and do you agree with it?

[Nacian]

Well, OK. Again, it's about comparing dogs to other animals. It's not a friendship in the literal sense like it is between human beings. It's just meant to illustrate that dogs are loyal. These sayings are used to quickly communicate more complex ideas, that's all. And they don't work if you take them too literally.

true taken literally it simply does not work which is stand on itself.

"Man's best friend" -- as I understand it, anyway -- is just a phrase summing up the kind of relationships humans generally have with dogs. It doesn't necessarily mean they're literally our best friends, just as diamonds aren't literally a girl's best friend. They aren't facts you learn in textbooks, they're just nice phrases and nothing more; I don't read into them any more than that.

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog."

Hope that helps.

hi Bruno thank you for this.
who is behind this quote?
it is interesting that the word selfish is used as unselfished rather then using another postive word.
whoever quoted this must have had a bad intake on life to call it life selfish.
it is ironic that it is always being refered as the dog deos this and the dog this, the do goder, but nothing there from the part of the author to suggest that it is reciprocated back. meaning there is no indication that the feeling towards the dog is mutual.
it is just my view on it.

[JosephB]

another saying

'you can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink'

in what context would you use this and do you agree with it?

Here -- check out this website. It may be of some help:

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

[Nacian]

Here -- check out this website. It may be of some help:

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

thank you JosephB the website looks good.
for some reason it made me think of Pavlov and the dog.

[JosephB]

Oh, maybe that's why I'm salivating. I though it was the bagel I was about to eat.

[Nacian]

Oh, maybe that's why I'm salivating. I though it was the bagel I was about to eat.

lol JosephyB this one of the best line ever ..LOL

[KangTheMad]

"Diamonds are a girls best friend"

It appears that an incredibly common, outrageously high-priced rock is what women desire.

On a more serious note, perhaps women appreciate their man spending a good amount of money on them to show they care deeply.

[Nacian]

"Diamonds are a girls best friend"

It appears that an incredibly common, outrageously high-priced rock is what women desire.

On a more serious note, perhaps women appreciate their man spending a good amount of money on them to show they care deeply.

it appears not to me..I cannot possibly desire a rock let alone be a friend with it.
desires is a complex matter and it is not about the rock or the money or the words it is about the deeds.
they do say actions speak louder then words.
now that is a contradiction in itself.
I am not sure if it is true that women do want that to prove their man care for them.
maybe it is just a cliche .
I mean the word cliche has to fulfill a role.