For All Intensive Purposes
October 29th 2011 07:41
Yes, your purpose may indeed be intense. Many peoples' purposes these days are utterly intense. So intense, in fact, that you just want to throttle them when they take over and monopolize conversations and make polite discourse all but impossible.
But I bet when you say that, what you really mean is "for all intents and purposes."
Why? Let's look at the origin of the correct phrase: "For all intents and purposes." What does this mean and where did it come from?
Research tells us that it comes from English law back in the 1500s, and that it means simply, "for all practical purposes." There are a couple of references at the end of this article for those who are interested.
So the phrase "for all intents and purposes" is just a legal way for people to be sure that they're not leaving out any exceptions. You know those lawyers, the masters of excess redundancy. Can't allow the tiniest loophole. "Intents" means you meant (or intended) to do it and "purposes" means you took some action to really do it. Or something like that.
So back to the wrong phrase: "for all intensive purposes." Merely a simple mishearing of the correct phrase, that's all.
Of course, if you really have an intense purpose, feel free to write it that way. Just think what you really mean when you say things.
References:
From Wiktionary
Really Long Link
From phrases.org.uk
Really Long Link
And for a less-tactful discussion, see The Urban Dictionary at
Really Long Link
But I bet when you say that, what you really mean is "for all intents and purposes."
Why? Let's look at the origin of the correct phrase: "For all intents and purposes." What does this mean and where did it come from?
Research tells us that it comes from English law back in the 1500s, and that it means simply, "for all practical purposes." There are a couple of references at the end of this article for those who are interested.
So the phrase "for all intents and purposes" is just a legal way for people to be sure that they're not leaving out any exceptions. You know those lawyers, the masters of excess redundancy. Can't allow the tiniest loophole. "Intents" means you meant (or intended) to do it and "purposes" means you took some action to really do it. Or something like that.
So back to the wrong phrase: "for all intensive purposes." Merely a simple mishearing of the correct phrase, that's all.
Of course, if you really have an intense purpose, feel free to write it that way. Just think what you really mean when you say things.
References:
From Wiktionary
Really Long Link
From phrases.org.uk
Really Long Link
And for a less-tactful discussion, see The Urban Dictionary at
Really Long Link
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