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> straight man: the person in a comedy duo who speaks lines which give a comedian the opportunity to make jokes All you have to do is change "comedy duo" to "c

> straight man: the person in a comedy duo who speaks lines which give a comedian the opportunity to make jokes All you have to do is change "comedy duo" to "coworker pair" and "jokes" to "explanation of architecture." > devils advocate: the popular title of the person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to challenge a proposed beatification or canonization, or the verification of a miracle All you have to do is change "person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church" to "coworker" and "challenge a proposed beatification or canonization" to "challenge another person's ideas." > purposefully obtuse Is that worse than being unintentionally obtuse, like you're doing? By the way, have you tried just looking up the word "metaphor?" > a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. Do you see the words at the end? "Not literally applicable."

the_af 7y ago
> All you have to do is change "comedy duo" to "coworker pair" and "jokes" to "explanation of architecture." But that doesn't work, because it requires changing the meaning/imagery of the metaphor beyond what regular people would recognize. You know, what actually happened in the situation of the original post. Yes, I can change "straight man" to "spaceship" and "jokes" to "launch into space", but it'd be almost as nonsensical. > By the way, have you tried just looking up the word "metaphor?" Yes. Note you misunderstand the definition you quoted. Let me say it once more, then we're done: the CONTEXT of a metaphor is not ITS LITERAL MEANING, so quit yapping about literalness. Context matters. "Straight man" doesn't have the required context, "devil's advocate" does. I don't expect you to acknowledge what I'm saying. At this point I must assume your ego won't let you budge an inch. Have a nice day! (which is not a metaphor, by the way).

the_af 7y ago

> All you have to do is change "comedy duo" to "coworker pair" and "jokes" to "explanation of architecture." But that doesn't work, because it requires changing the meaning/imagery of the metaphor beyond what regular people would recognize. You know, what actually happened in the situation of the original post. Yes, I can change "straight man" to "spaceship" and "jokes" to "launch into space", but it'd be almost as nonsensical. > By the way, have you tried just looking up the word "metaphor?" Yes. Note you misunderstand the definition you quoted. Let me say it once more, then we're done: the CONTEXT of a metaphor is not ITS LITERAL MEANING, so quit yapping about literalness. Context matters. "Straight man" doesn't have the required context, "devil's advocate" does. I don't expect you to acknowledge what I'm saying. At this point I must assume your ego won't let you budge an inch. Have a nice day! (which is not a metaphor, by the way).