Post by amalric on Nov 19, 2007 11:20:05 GMT -5
Well I appealed the ruling on the last question, as you may have noticed, and I've just sent a PM to Elendil questioning his ruling on the appeal. (out to make myself popular ;D) Here's what I said (Elendil's words in blue):-
------------------------
Hey Andrew!
I'm here to question your ruling on my appeal in the Anor Malthen v. Mordor Jr Drill round.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of LĂșthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed." {The Silmarillion, Of Beren and LĂșthien}
This answer speaks directly of what you (appear to) contend to be spring, i.e. the "flowers spring[ing] up from the cold earth where her feet had passed". Due to this being a direct reference, there is no portion of your answer that addresses the word "seemed" in the question, since there is no ambiguity implied.
Well I guess we could have highlighted the entire last sentence? *g* The song "released the bonds of winter, and...flowers sprang..." etc etc. So, winter had been broken, and flowers have appeared - a clear sign of what we know to be the onset of spring. But nowhere is it clearly stated that spring has definitively begun (spring is not even referred to) - perhaps the flowers are appearing even though some vestige of winter remains? We could state from this that winter has perhaps ended, and spring has perhaps begun, but it is far from conclusive, so this only seems to be the case. Which would answer that part of the question, at least.
As for "I find that the usage of the word "seemed" in the question allows for a metaphor to be used to satisfy the answer." ~ how can metaphors be allowed to answer a question whose answer must be based on the appearance of a certain fact? "Raining cats and dogs" would surely not be accepted as an answer to a question asking, "Where did many animals appear in inclement weather?", surely!?
I know we'd already lost, and effectively I'm arguing about points of little (but still certain) significance, but principles and all that. *g*
----------------
------------------------
Hey Andrew!
I'm here to question your ruling on my appeal in the Anor Malthen v. Mordor Jr Drill round.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of LĂșthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed." {The Silmarillion, Of Beren and LĂșthien}
This answer speaks directly of what you (appear to) contend to be spring, i.e. the "flowers spring[ing] up from the cold earth where her feet had passed". Due to this being a direct reference, there is no portion of your answer that addresses the word "seemed" in the question, since there is no ambiguity implied.
Well I guess we could have highlighted the entire last sentence? *g* The song "released the bonds of winter, and...flowers sprang..." etc etc. So, winter had been broken, and flowers have appeared - a clear sign of what we know to be the onset of spring. But nowhere is it clearly stated that spring has definitively begun (spring is not even referred to) - perhaps the flowers are appearing even though some vestige of winter remains? We could state from this that winter has perhaps ended, and spring has perhaps begun, but it is far from conclusive, so this only seems to be the case. Which would answer that part of the question, at least.
As for "I find that the usage of the word "seemed" in the question allows for a metaphor to be used to satisfy the answer." ~ how can metaphors be allowed to answer a question whose answer must be based on the appearance of a certain fact? "Raining cats and dogs" would surely not be accepted as an answer to a question asking, "Where did many animals appear in inclement weather?", surely!?
I know we'd already lost, and effectively I'm arguing about points of little (but still certain) significance, but principles and all that. *g*
----------------