The "drought" continues in weather metaphors

Fritz Coleman, a genial weather reporter on NBC network's local Los Angeles affiliate, recently reported the ending of a winter rain storm, almost singing with relief : "There'll be no more rain after Sunday." (and therefore) "There's light at the end of the tunnel."

No, no, no, Fritz! Bad metaphor. Light at the end of the tunnel indicates: "hope that there will be an end to a crisis" Concise Oxford Dictionary.

The crisis Southern California has been experiencing apart from the occasional earthquake and fire storms (see posting of 10/29/2007, "Putting out dangling element fires") has been one of drought and a perilous drop in the water table the past few years. Although the water table is replenished by water run off from melting snow in the mountains, rain during the winter may serve as an indicator of snowfall. Therefore, Mr. Coleman is misapplying the metaphor unintentionally, surely, for he must be aware of the prevailing drought conditions. He is reassuring the spoiled Southern California populace that the sun will once again light our days, the very sun we see most of the year.

People need to be educated, Fritz. Don't lead them astray with a casual metaphor. We should be seeking more rain/snow fall if we truly wish to see light at the end of the tunnel. Sunlight that is, which, with abundant rainfall, should make for a glorious springtime.

Drooling Like Pavlovian Dog, Unsavory Simile

Recently, a television food critic was raving over the menu of a local Los Angeles restaurant. His review was going well until he described a typical patron as:

"...drooling like a Pavlovian dog."

While it's true that our salivary glands might liven up at the thought of a sumptuous meal, or even a treat, to compare homo sapiens, "wise man" or "knowing man" to canines is unsavory when describing food. Furthermore, to say that we "drool" is to bring up thoughts of human infants, not serious restaurant goers. To use phrases like "Pavlovian dog," well, we're both in the animal kingdom, we're both mammals, but that it where it ends.

Once more, Sapiens means "wise, intelligent." We say of some dogs that they are intelligent, but never wise. Pavlov's dog was being conditioned to salivate based upon cues in a laboratory lacking the ambiance and subtle aromas coming out of a good kitchen. While we may be conditioned to react to certain cues, we are wise enough not to submit to them in a laboratory, unless of course, we were a starving student and needed the money.

The point: Keep your similes in the same species unless you mean to denigrate some individual.




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