"Mutual" means reciprocal. If Mr. Dickens had even the faintest notion as to how to properly use the English language, he would have named the book Our Common Friend or, if that made the friend sound too plebeian, he could have called it simply Our Friend. After all, the use of the possessive "our" already implies commonality of relationship.
Both of those would have missed out on the cruicial point.
*sniffs indignantly*
I am sure you are exaggerating your seriousness for comic effect, but allow me to observe (for the record -- because this is the internet and someone might pick up your objection as fact) that a)languages change, and this expression has been around since... at least the 1600s, b)Dickens did (demonstrably) know how to use the English language, and.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
This message last edited by Camilla on 02/11/2011 at 06:39:33 AM
November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 01/11/2011 08:10:09 AM
1572 Views
The Charles Dickens biography by Michael Slater
- 01/11/2011 08:57:58 AM
1323 Views
I have a problem with that title - Our Mutual Friend, indeed!
- 02/11/2011 01:21:39 AM
1161 Views
And
- 02/11/2011 06:38:56 AM
1235 Views
It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article.
- 02/11/2011 04:43:10 PM
1075 Views
Re: It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article.
- 02/11/2011 05:16:15 PM
1164 Views
I finished The Secret Pilgrim by Le Carré (the last Smiley novel, if you can call it that)
- 04/11/2011 08:41:50 PM
1075 Views
Middlemarch will probably take me a few weeks more. After that, we'll see.
- 01/11/2011 10:32:21 AM
1229 Views
Read Tintentod, now reading Antony and Cleopatra (Goldsworthy, not Shakespeare). *NM*
- 28/11/2011 09:35:13 PM
554 Views
Am falling back on Harry Dresden due to the pressures of studying.
- 01/11/2011 02:00:49 PM
1221 Views
So, books.
- 01/11/2011 10:08:00 PM
1160 Views
The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. *NM*
- 05/11/2011 02:19:39 PM
578 Views
THe Great Gatsby. *NM*
- 28/11/2011 02:26:14 PM
519 Views
Allow me to request a review of that one. I've long been thinking I need to read it. *NM*
- 28/11/2011 09:35:48 PM
540 Views
Back to Der Zauberberg. About halfway through now.
- 02/11/2011 01:17:32 AM
1165 Views
I don't know how I managed to read about 900 pages of German this month...
- 26/11/2011 10:33:52 PM
1113 Views
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 02/11/2011 08:07:11 PM
1414 Views
new Catherine Asaro book!
- 02/11/2011 08:22:15 PM
1198 Views
reading Temeraire
- 15/11/2011 05:50:45 PM
1172 Views
"Temeraire" was fun. Started on "Tumbling After" by Paul Witcover. *NM*
- 16/11/2011 06:32:50 PM
498 Views
Read "Broken Time" by Maggy Thomas/Emily Devenport. Really good!
- 30/11/2011 04:31:41 PM
1427 Views
Yeesh, November already.
- 06/11/2011 12:28:51 PM
1189 Views
Have you read Old Custer by Eli Cash?
- 06/11/2011 04:06:33 PM
1179 Views
Nope.
- 06/11/2011 04:50:27 PM
1150 Views
Never mind.
- 06/11/2011 05:07:30 PM
1158 Views
Never mind.
- 06/11/2011 05:07:30 PM
1158 Views
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 28/11/2011 04:16:33 AM
1334 Views

" *NM*