Discussion Forum (Archived)
Guest
My question relates to gardening and comes up a lot this time of year, early in the season. The action in question is when one transfers a seedling or young plant from one container into a larger container. To me this is referred to as "potting-up," but several of my peers say "up-potting," which to me sounds awful. To enunciate the phrase correctly is nearly impossible, requiring and akward pause; the two words together, one ending with a "P" and the other beginning with one inevitably get slurred together and become "upotting". Further more, the construction of the phrase seems backward, like down-cooling instead of cooling down. Of course, someone pointed out that the same construction works in up or down-shifting, which is contrary to my opinion of the way the phrase is put together. These same people are also known to refer to tree-planting, which to me sounds fine in some context but doesn't work for me in others, such as: "what did you do for work today?" "oh, we tree planted." To me, the subject of the planting should go after the action, not before, otherwise we will end up "car-driving" and "question asking." Please let me know what you think.
Ryan
You're right Ryan, "upotting" does sound awful. Also, it sounds like the gardener did all the work and the baby plant had nothing to do with it. How about thinking of a word that would indicate the seedling is graduating to a larger pot? What does a dean say he/she is doing when he/she passes out a degree as the graduate walks across the stage? I've drawn a blank. You wouldn't say, "I graduated plants today," or "I matriculated plants today". And saying, "I transplanted seedlings today" just doesn't express the tender loving care involved in rearing them. But how about something that implies the pride felt by an educator who is sending out his pupils to the next stage of education or life?
Allison
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
1 Guest(s)