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I always like to think that analogies are supposed to make the point easier to understand by relating it to something familiar to the reader, sort of how people
by Periodic 16y ago
I always like to think that analogies are supposed to make the point easier to understand by relating it to something familiar to the reader, sort of how people explain programming language features by comparing them to other programming languages. You want to give the reader the gist of the idea that they know nothing about by comparing it to something they know something about.
I'm not sure what purpose this analogy served in terms of clarity. It was a bit of a speed-bump in the reading. However, it was amusing and made me briefly wonder if being a contractor was similar to being promiscuous.
- JonnieCache 16y agoIt is what's known as "subverting the form" or more simply "poetry" and it's a luxury afforded to those dealing with human-to-human language as opposed to human-to-computer language. You're right, the analogy is not as near as the author could have come to an illuminating isomorphism between the two concepts. In many ways you're right, it could be taken in a way that makes the meaning less clear. However prompt illumination is not the only or even the most important purpose of analogy in language. Interestingly, your own analogy (metaphor?) of a speed bump also transcends its immediate meaning as you intended it. By making you drive (read) more slowly, it also makes you drive (think) more carefully.
- brc 16y agoI actually think the best analogies are the ones that are close enough to make the point and far enough away to be funny. An amusing analogy is much more 'sticky' in the receivers mind than a highly accurate one. It's like the old memory technique of associating something mundane with something absurd.