The phrase “to the numbers born”?
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There is this sentence in a book named Shoe Dog which has confused me a lot. In what sense is the word born used here?
I'd met other accountants who knew numbers, who had a way with numbers, but Hayes was to the numbers born.
grammar vocabulary
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
add a comment |
There is this sentence in a book named Shoe Dog which has confused me a lot. In what sense is the word born used here?
I'd met other accountants who knew numbers, who had a way with numbers, but Hayes was to the numbers born.
grammar vocabulary
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
add a comment |
There is this sentence in a book named Shoe Dog which has confused me a lot. In what sense is the word born used here?
I'd met other accountants who knew numbers, who had a way with numbers, but Hayes was to the numbers born.
grammar vocabulary
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
There is this sentence in a book named Shoe Dog which has confused me a lot. In what sense is the word born used here?
I'd met other accountants who knew numbers, who had a way with numbers, but Hayes was to the numbers born.
grammar vocabulary
grammar vocabulary
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
edited Apr 12 at 9:55
Mike R
4,99821843
4,99821843
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
asked Apr 11 at 4:16
Sudhir SharmaSudhir Sharma
677
677
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
To the manner born
To the numbers born is a playful use of the form "to the manner born", which is a longstanding term meaning "born into the habit". It is first documented in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1605):
HORATIO: Is it a custom?
HAMLET: Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance.
To the manor born
A newspaper later played on this Shakespearean form by changing "manner" to "manor" to indicate a person born into a noble family, itself an metaphor for a country maintaining a longstanding occupation of another (Times of London, 1859):
"Before Solferino, Austria was only an intruder in Italy; now she is as one 'to the manor born'."
As pointed out by Fattie in the comment below, "To the Manor Born" was used as a title of an exceptionally popular UK television situation comedy series. Its entry into widespread public usage, through this, caused many of us Brits to assume that this was the original or only meaning of the phrase.
To the numbers born
The author is making a further play on words by applying this formation a new noun: "numbers", rather than "manner". It means that Hayes was born with a skill in numbers, or with a destiny to become a skillful accountant.
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
add a comment |
BORN is an adjective:
: destined from or as if from birth
// born to succeed
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary )
In your example there is also inversion used to make the sentence more emphatic:
"Hayes was great at arithmetic as if from birth"
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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active
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active
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To the manner born
To the numbers born is a playful use of the form "to the manner born", which is a longstanding term meaning "born into the habit". It is first documented in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1605):
HORATIO: Is it a custom?
HAMLET: Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance.
To the manor born
A newspaper later played on this Shakespearean form by changing "manner" to "manor" to indicate a person born into a noble family, itself an metaphor for a country maintaining a longstanding occupation of another (Times of London, 1859):
"Before Solferino, Austria was only an intruder in Italy; now she is as one 'to the manor born'."
As pointed out by Fattie in the comment below, "To the Manor Born" was used as a title of an exceptionally popular UK television situation comedy series. Its entry into widespread public usage, through this, caused many of us Brits to assume that this was the original or only meaning of the phrase.
To the numbers born
The author is making a further play on words by applying this formation a new noun: "numbers", rather than "manner". It means that Hayes was born with a skill in numbers, or with a destiny to become a skillful accountant.
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
add a comment |
To the manner born
To the numbers born is a playful use of the form "to the manner born", which is a longstanding term meaning "born into the habit". It is first documented in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1605):
HORATIO: Is it a custom?
HAMLET: Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance.
To the manor born
A newspaper later played on this Shakespearean form by changing "manner" to "manor" to indicate a person born into a noble family, itself an metaphor for a country maintaining a longstanding occupation of another (Times of London, 1859):
"Before Solferino, Austria was only an intruder in Italy; now she is as one 'to the manor born'."
As pointed out by Fattie in the comment below, "To the Manor Born" was used as a title of an exceptionally popular UK television situation comedy series. Its entry into widespread public usage, through this, caused many of us Brits to assume that this was the original or only meaning of the phrase.
To the numbers born
The author is making a further play on words by applying this formation a new noun: "numbers", rather than "manner". It means that Hayes was born with a skill in numbers, or with a destiny to become a skillful accountant.
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
add a comment |
To the manner born
To the numbers born is a playful use of the form "to the manner born", which is a longstanding term meaning "born into the habit". It is first documented in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1605):
HORATIO: Is it a custom?
HAMLET: Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance.
To the manor born
A newspaper later played on this Shakespearean form by changing "manner" to "manor" to indicate a person born into a noble family, itself an metaphor for a country maintaining a longstanding occupation of another (Times of London, 1859):
"Before Solferino, Austria was only an intruder in Italy; now she is as one 'to the manor born'."
As pointed out by Fattie in the comment below, "To the Manor Born" was used as a title of an exceptionally popular UK television situation comedy series. Its entry into widespread public usage, through this, caused many of us Brits to assume that this was the original or only meaning of the phrase.
To the numbers born
The author is making a further play on words by applying this formation a new noun: "numbers", rather than "manner". It means that Hayes was born with a skill in numbers, or with a destiny to become a skillful accountant.
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
To the manner born
To the numbers born is a playful use of the form "to the manner born", which is a longstanding term meaning "born into the habit". It is first documented in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1605):
HORATIO: Is it a custom?
HAMLET: Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance.
To the manor born
A newspaper later played on this Shakespearean form by changing "manner" to "manor" to indicate a person born into a noble family, itself an metaphor for a country maintaining a longstanding occupation of another (Times of London, 1859):
"Before Solferino, Austria was only an intruder in Italy; now she is as one 'to the manor born'."
As pointed out by Fattie in the comment below, "To the Manor Born" was used as a title of an exceptionally popular UK television situation comedy series. Its entry into widespread public usage, through this, caused many of us Brits to assume that this was the original or only meaning of the phrase.
To the numbers born
The author is making a further play on words by applying this formation a new noun: "numbers", rather than "manner". It means that Hayes was born with a skill in numbers, or with a destiny to become a skillful accountant.
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
edited Apr 12 at 10:58
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
answered Apr 11 at 6:20
EurekaEureka
1,62038
1,62038
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
add a comment |
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
14
14
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
A fascinating point.: One of the most popular TV shows of all time was a UK comedy titled "To the manor born". (1980, often considered the pinnacle of UK TV.) Due to the extreme popularity of the show, many if not most people today assume the original idiom is "To the manor born" - not realizing the show's title is a pun on the Shakespearian phrase.
– Fattie
Apr 11 at 13:20
add a comment |
BORN is an adjective:
: destined from or as if from birth
// born to succeed
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary )
In your example there is also inversion used to make the sentence more emphatic:
"Hayes was great at arithmetic as if from birth"
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
add a comment |
BORN is an adjective:
: destined from or as if from birth
// born to succeed
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary )
In your example there is also inversion used to make the sentence more emphatic:
"Hayes was great at arithmetic as if from birth"
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
add a comment |
BORN is an adjective:
: destined from or as if from birth
// born to succeed
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary )
In your example there is also inversion used to make the sentence more emphatic:
"Hayes was great at arithmetic as if from birth"
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
BORN is an adjective:
: destined from or as if from birth
// born to succeed
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary )
In your example there is also inversion used to make the sentence more emphatic:
"Hayes was great at arithmetic as if from birth"
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
edited Apr 11 at 5:19
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
answered Apr 11 at 4:27
user307254user307254
5,4922518
5,4922518
add a comment |
add a comment |
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