Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromichi]

I like to know why it is an aimless skip.


A compound based on molly "an effeminate man" plus coddle "to slack on discipline." "Molly" (or "Mally") was originally a nickname for "Mary" but, like "John," soon came to take on other meanings, no doubt, for its commonness. Coddle originally meant "cook an egg in water without boiling it," hence underdoing something from where "underdoing discipline" is but an aimless skip.
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Hiromichi

[CP]

I think it's just another way to say that it is just a short hop from "underdoing something" to "underdoing discipline." It is but a small step to go from the one meaning to the other.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[hiromichi]

CP, Thank you. Can I understand "an aumless step" as "an easy step2? And in this case should "underdoing something" and "underdoing discipline" be reversed?
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Hiromichi

[CP]

Well, "aimless" really means "purposeless" or "accidental." The original statement means that it is not a great leap from the first meaning to the second, hence it is rather easy, so you can interpret it that way. But I wouldn't say that "aimless" means "easy."

As for switching "underdoing something" with "underdoing discipline," I wouldn't. The person is saying that "coddle" meant "underdoing something" first, then "underdoing discipline." Not the other way around. The short step or aimless skip goes forward in time.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[hiromichi]

CP, Now I get it. When I change "from where" to "from which", the sentence structure is clearer to me.
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Hiromichi