Can things “grow smaller”?
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Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean.
This is the headline of an online article
Growing is all about increasing in size and getting bigger while smaller is just the opposite, however, English seems to permit the two words to come together.
How is this possible?
grammaticality logic
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean.
This is the headline of an online article
Growing is all about increasing in size and getting bigger while smaller is just the opposite, however, English seems to permit the two words to come together.
How is this possible?
grammaticality logic
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
1
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean.
This is the headline of an online article
Growing is all about increasing in size and getting bigger while smaller is just the opposite, however, English seems to permit the two words to come together.
How is this possible?
grammaticality logic
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean.
This is the headline of an online article
Growing is all about increasing in size and getting bigger while smaller is just the opposite, however, English seems to permit the two words to come together.
How is this possible?
grammaticality logic
grammaticality logic
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
asked 16 hours ago
Sara
1,71021034
1,71021034
1
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago
1
1
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
10
down vote
Oxford lists three primary meanings for the word grow. The first two reflect what we often immediately think of when we think about growing:
grow (v.) to undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
grow (v.) to become larger or greater over a period of time; to increase
It’s the third meaning, though, that provides the key to your apparent oxymoron:
grow (v.) to become, gradually or increasingly :
sharing our experiences we grew braver
So, if the number of fish are gradually becoming diminished, then a headline might say:
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean
More likely, though, is probably referring to the size of the fish, if the gradually-warming ocean is causing the fish to become smaller over time.
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
Grow and smaller aren't linked the way you are interpreting it. The sentence is saying that fish that used to reach a certain size in adulthood aren't growing that big in a warmer ocean, they are smaller than their predecessors.
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
10
down vote
Oxford lists three primary meanings for the word grow. The first two reflect what we often immediately think of when we think about growing:
grow (v.) to undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
grow (v.) to become larger or greater over a period of time; to increase
It’s the third meaning, though, that provides the key to your apparent oxymoron:
grow (v.) to become, gradually or increasingly :
sharing our experiences we grew braver
So, if the number of fish are gradually becoming diminished, then a headline might say:
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean
More likely, though, is probably referring to the size of the fish, if the gradually-warming ocean is causing the fish to become smaller over time.
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
10
down vote
Oxford lists three primary meanings for the word grow. The first two reflect what we often immediately think of when we think about growing:
grow (v.) to undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
grow (v.) to become larger or greater over a period of time; to increase
It’s the third meaning, though, that provides the key to your apparent oxymoron:
grow (v.) to become, gradually or increasingly :
sharing our experiences we grew braver
So, if the number of fish are gradually becoming diminished, then a headline might say:
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean
More likely, though, is probably referring to the size of the fish, if the gradually-warming ocean is causing the fish to become smaller over time.
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
10
down vote
up vote
10
down vote
Oxford lists three primary meanings for the word grow. The first two reflect what we often immediately think of when we think about growing:
grow (v.) to undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
grow (v.) to become larger or greater over a period of time; to increase
It’s the third meaning, though, that provides the key to your apparent oxymoron:
grow (v.) to become, gradually or increasingly :
sharing our experiences we grew braver
So, if the number of fish are gradually becoming diminished, then a headline might say:
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean
More likely, though, is probably referring to the size of the fish, if the gradually-warming ocean is causing the fish to become smaller over time.
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
Oxford lists three primary meanings for the word grow. The first two reflect what we often immediately think of when we think about growing:
grow (v.) to undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
grow (v.) to become larger or greater over a period of time; to increase
It’s the third meaning, though, that provides the key to your apparent oxymoron:
grow (v.) to become, gradually or increasingly :
sharing our experiences we grew braver
So, if the number of fish are gradually becoming diminished, then a headline might say:
Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean
More likely, though, is probably referring to the size of the fish, if the gradually-warming ocean is causing the fish to become smaller over time.
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
edited 8 hours ago
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
answered 15 hours ago
J.R.♦
96.4k8125242
96.4k8125242
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
add a comment |
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
1
1
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
I think you should be clearer that these are three meanings you think are relevant to the question, not that they are the only three meanings.
– Acccumulation
9 hours ago
1
1
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
If it’s the number of fish that’s decreasing, you would never use ‘smaller’ at all. You might say the fish are growing fewer, or that the number of fish is growing smaller, but not that the fish are growing smaller – that refers unambiguously to their size.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Accumulation - I put a link to the dictionary entry I used; that dictionary lists three primary meanings, and the other definitions provided there are "sub-meanings". But either way, you're right, there is never a set number of meanings that word can have. Different dictionaries are free to add more definitions for different nuances as they see fit.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
@Janus - You're right; I was assuming that a headline writer might have left off the "Number of" to keep the headline short. I've reworded my answer to make it a bit less misleading. Nice catch.
– J.R.♦
8 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
Grow and smaller aren't linked the way you are interpreting it. The sentence is saying that fish that used to reach a certain size in adulthood aren't growing that big in a warmer ocean, they are smaller than their predecessors.
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
Grow and smaller aren't linked the way you are interpreting it. The sentence is saying that fish that used to reach a certain size in adulthood aren't growing that big in a warmer ocean, they are smaller than their predecessors.
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
Grow and smaller aren't linked the way you are interpreting it. The sentence is saying that fish that used to reach a certain size in adulthood aren't growing that big in a warmer ocean, they are smaller than their predecessors.
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
Grow and smaller aren't linked the way you are interpreting it. The sentence is saying that fish that used to reach a certain size in adulthood aren't growing that big in a warmer ocean, they are smaller than their predecessors.
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
answered 15 hours ago
pboss3010
3363
3363
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
add a comment |
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
1
1
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
This sentence aside, google shows many other sentences with grow smaller meaning become smaller or get smaller. For example, "Why Belgian coins grow smaller."
– Sara
15 hours ago
add a comment |
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1
Certain comedians, such as George Carlin loved to joke about these kind of inconsistencies in the English language. Believe me, we know very well this doesn't make sense :)
– Andrew
11 hours ago
@Andrew It does make sense, though. Just not when you choose to interpret it literally, which people don't typically do.
– only_pro
10 hours ago
@only_pro sure, but only if you consider all (and sometimes contradictory) meanings. It doesn't mean they don't also sound superficially silly.
– Andrew
10 hours ago
It is somewhat ambiguous. A full sentence, not a headline, would have been clearer.
– Azor Ahai
6 hours ago