Re: SB: rule of thumb; Off Topic

["Kirk Haines" <khaines@enigo.com>]

> Does everyone know where the term "rule of thumb" comes from?  My
> understanding is the original rule of thumb was "you shouldn't beat
> your wife with a stick larger than the diameter of your thumb".
> Although we don't mean that when we use the expression today, i feel
> there is bad energy with anything as oppressive as such a standard.  I
> hope we all will be conscious of the words we use.  They are very
> powerful.

Historical connotations are a lot less relevant that current connotations,
however.  Language is dynamic -- it changes, and what is important to
language usage are the connotations that our words carry today.
Also, you are treading the waters of urban legend by believing and
promoting that origin for the phrase.  Here are some references that
discuss the origin substantially more completely than I can in this email.
http://www.debunker.com/texts/ruleofthumb.html
http://www.urbanlegends.com/language/etymology/rule_of_thumb.html


Kirk Haines




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