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Yes! Absolutely. The phrase "the exception proves the rule" is a tired, worn out, clichéd contradiction in terms that must have meant something at one time I'm
by igravious 16y ago
Yes! Absolutely. The phrase "the exception proves the rule" is a tired, worn out, clichéd contradiction in terms that must have meant something at one time I'm sure but can only be superfluous in most cases now.
- shasta 16y agoI think I've heard it used reasonably, but I can't really remember the specifics. Basically, it's when the cause for the exception follows naturally from the logic behind the rule. Contrived example: If something holds for most birds, an exception for penguins might qualify. In any case, this is just an exception that breaks the rule.