Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2017 March 5

= March 5 =

bring new ideas to the table
What does the phrase "bring new ideas to the table" mean, as in "We also believe that having a diverse team of people who can bring new ideas to the table has made us even stronger."? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.221.163.185 (talk) 14:03, 5 March 2017 (UTC)
 * "The table" is metaphorically the site of the ensuing discussion. So the speaker or writer is expressing a wish for colleagues of differing backgrounds (which could mean many things: nationality, ethnicity, sex, age, training, business function, etc.) to contribute to the conversation, or more generally to the intellectual input which shapes the organisation. Carbon Caryatid (talk) 15:10, 5 March 2017 (UTC)


 * It means to propose an idea for discussion or consideration, the table in question being a hypothetical conference table.
 * This may be related to Table (parliamentary procedure), where in the Westminster system, proposals for new legislation were originally laid on a table in the debating chamber. As our article says, "to table" something has an almost opposite meaning in the US system where it means "postpone or suspend consideration of a motion". Alansplodge (talk) 15:19, 5 March 2017 (UTC)


 * So the US turned the table on the original meaning ? StuRat (talk) 15:23, 5 March 2017 (UTC)
 * See also mootness. DuncanHill (talk) 01:37, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * "Turning the tables" actually refers to a method of reinvigorating the discussion.  At dinner parties hosts would "turn the tables", i.e. move guests round so that they got the chance to converse with different people.   A discussion is described as a "round table" when it is wanted to emphasise that everybody's contribution is valued equally.   This derives from king Arthur's practice of seating his knights for meals at a round table to show they all had equal status.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.5.88.48 (talk) 07:06, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * I know the dinner-party convention but I didn't know it had a name. King Arthur and his knights did indeed sit around a legendary Round Table (which led only indirectly to the Round Table (club), according to our article). The OED has nothing for "turn the table", not even in quotations. But "turning the table" is not to be confused with table-turning, a type of spiritualism. (Spiritualism: not to be confused with spirituality.) And then there are turntables, mechanical devices for the playing of music, once expected to disappear with the progress of science, but which, like seances, have stuck to our culture. I do pity the learner of English. Carbon Caryatid (talk) 08:37, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * There is kind of a food metaphor, with clichés like "food for thought" and "my plate is already full". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:12, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * According to this and this, 'turn the tables' actually comes from board games such as backgammon. This is consistent with its usual meaning of 'to bring about a complete reversal of circumstances'. My Chambers dictionary adds 'from the idea of players at backgammon changing sides'. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 15:40, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * You Turned the Tables on Me - a popular tune from the 1930s, recorded by a great many artists and bands. My fav version, Helen Ward with Benny Goodman & his orchestra. Akld guy (talk) 19:59, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
 * The OED does have an entry, first attested in 1612: "to turn the tables and variants: to reverse one's position relative to someone else, esp. by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage; to cause a complete reversal of the state of affairs. [With reference to the position of the board in a board game being reversed, hence reversing the situation of each player in the game.]".    D b f i r s   21:07, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

Lysander and Lysandros
Is Lysander/Lysandros closely related to Alexander/Alexandros? Just guessing.155.97.8.169 (talk) 20:16, 5 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Lysander is "From the Greek name Λυσανδρος (Lysandros) which meant "a release of a man" from Greek λυσις (lysis) "a release" and ανδρος (andros) "of a man". (according to our article Lysander (disambiguation)), and "Alexander" is from "the Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), meaning "Defender of the people" or "Defending men" and also, "Protector of men", a compound of the verb ἀλέξειν alexein, "to ward off, to avert, to defend" and the noun ἀνήρ anēr, "man" (GEN ἀνδρός andros)" (from our article Alexander). DuncanHill (talk) 20:32, 5 March 2017 (UTC)