| 1 |
On 2 July 2011, at 10:49, David Haller wrote: |
| 2 |
> ... |
| 3 |
>> "its name escapes me" = I can't remember its name |
| 4 |
> |
| 5 |
> Almost: "I know I knew its name[, but at the moment,] the memory of |
| 6 |
> that name has escaped (or fled) my mind" ;) Or: "I can't _quite_ |
| 7 |
> remember it (now), but I should, I know it's there, but it has escaped |
| 8 |
> into some corner of my mind and is making faces at me" (or something |
| 9 |
> similar). A slight distinction [cf. non-random sig] ;) |
| 10 |
|
| 11 |
OT, but I'm not sure that I see the difference. I was merely trying to give a simple explanation for the benefit of a non-native English speaker. |
| 12 |
|
| 13 |
My "compact" edition of the 24 volume Oxford English dictionary gives no more than: |
| 14 |
|
| 15 |
5) To elude (observation, search, etc.); to elude the notice of a person, |
| 16 |
… |
| 17 |
b) to elude (a person's recollection). |
| 18 |
|
| 19 |
The earliest recorded usage (of b) was by Sir William Hope in 1696, translating J de Solleysel's "La Connoissance parfaite des chevaux" ("The Compleat Horseman") when he wrote "Lest it might have escaped my memory, I here set it down". In 1865, Dickens used it with the use of "memory" or "recollection" only implied, writing "The name of which escapes me". |
| 20 |
|
| 21 |
But, y'know, I didn't think that was relevant or assisted Meino's understanding. |
| 22 |
|
| 23 |
Stroller. |
Archives