How do animals depart?

SkiIucK · #1 (permalink) Wed Mar 18, 2009 21:47 pm *How do animals depart?*

'In theory, an animal could A. pick out B. pick up C. pick off D. pick on and go, flaunting all the social conventions and boundaries proper to its space.'

Now, this question was asked on an English Olympiad. I struggled quite a bit with it, finding myself helpless. After I returned home I checked it just to find out that the last, ninth usage of 'pick up', which is tagged 'Slang', is 'to depart suddenly'. What is this?

Is any other answer plausible here?

Thanks in advance

Milanya · #2 (permalink) Wed Mar 18, 2009 22:09 pm *How do animals depart?*

SkiIucK · #3 (permalink) Wed Mar 18, 2009 22:20 pm *How do animals depart?*

How sad.

Milanya · #4 (permalink) Wed Mar 18, 2009 22:38 pm *How do animals depart?*

That was a difficult REGIONAL OLYMPIAD IN ENGLISH. How did you do?
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SkiIucK · #5 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:38 am *How do animals depart?*

I didn't qualify for the next round. I scored 81.5 % with the minimum requirement for the next stage being 90 %. Some silly mistakes such as 'equiped', 'deprived FROM' and the like cost me valuable points.

I'm just not good enough yet to compete with the best.

Kitosdad · #6 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:49 am *How do animals depart?*

SkiIucK ...............................to depart suddenly.

I think this is from the family of :- Sling. Slung. Slang

To tell someone to, " Sling your hook .! " is to do just as you say ....... Go away.!!!

ps. I think your use of English is one of the better ones on the Forum.
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Prezbucky · #7 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:53 am *How do animals depart?*

SkiIucK

I'm impressed with your command of my language.

If you're into winning awards, that's cool... but what impresses me most is your dedication to learn, and present command of, this the greatest language yet devised (IMHO, hehe).

Keep it up, man, because the real prize is the ability to communicate... and it's clear that you can read and write well.
So keep your chin up and your head down.

(and if you got those metaphors, you're ready)
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SkiIucK · #8 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:20 pm *How do animals depart?*

Thanks. ^_^ Now sling ya hooks! :P

Jamie (K) · #9 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:39 pm *How do animals depart?*

SkiIucK · #10 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 13:22 pm *How do animals depart?*

Hi Jamie,

I don't know how one can take 'tenant' for 'tenet', but the 'flaunting vs. flouting' matter is very interesting. I went over a few dictionaries and it turns out it's very controversial. You say it's wrong, but some aver 'flaunt the rules' is acceptable as well. Either way, this just proves one thing: carelessness......

Jamie (K) · #11 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 14:11 pm *How do animals depart?*

The only reason that "flaunt the rules" is "acceptable" is that when people misuse a word for a decade or so, the dictionaries just cave in and start saying it's okay to do it. They do this with a lot of words, because they now say their job is not to be prescriptivist. It nonetheless sounds like very sloppy English to people who pay attention.

And this leaves the problem that if "flaunt" now means "flout", what word to we use when we want to say "flaunt"?

SkiIucK · #12 (permalink) Thu Mar 19, 2009 14:27 pm *How do animals depart?*

:>

It's hard to know whom/what to trust nowadays. But there's reason in your thoughts, so I'd go your way.

Thanks!

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