"Mike Barnes" wrote in message
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In uk.d-i-y, Bob Mannix wrote:

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message
id...
In uk.d-i-y, Mary Fisher wrote:
"Bob Mannix" wrote in message
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"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
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Splitting, by definition, is dividing something into two.

Sorry Mary, but you started the pedant sub-thread!

My dictionary has "breaking/dividing something into two *two or more
parts*" (including hairs!)

Which dictionary? And is that an exact quote?

Some cheapo one (the only one to hand). No it was a small part of the
definition.

It's wrong.

It's right when splitting is dividing something between people, e.g.
splitting the proceeds. But splitting logs is different.

Only by convention yes.

Only by convention? What else is there?

If one were to build a hydraulic log splitter with a
tricorn blade you, presumably, would refuse to call the output split logs
even though they were indistinguishable from other split logs?

You're welcome to presume what you like, but we were actually talking of
the verb "split", which is not the same as the adjective "split".

Oh poo! I would say, while in action, it was splitting them. Only an
inveterate hair splitter would say otherwise

And ISTM quite likely that your device viewed in slow motion would
separate into two twice rather than into three once.

Nah! There would be four pieces in that case )

Times up, must split.

Bob Mannix


--
Mike Barnes