From Newsgroup: alt.english.usage




I'm wondering if Tin-man and Thin-man are related.


Tin-eared and Tenured can sound similar


Hibou <vpaereru-unmonitored@yahoo.com.invalid> posted:

Le 01/04/2026 |a 10:42, occam a |-crit :

[AI definition] "Tin-eared" is an idiom describing
a lack of sensitivity to music, tone, or language, often implying
someone is tone-deaf. It also commonly refers to an inability to
understand social nuances, public mood, or subtleties in communication, rendering a person indifferent or insensitive to others' feelings.

My question - why tin, when other metals are also available?

"Tin" must refer to THE generic Metal ?

Google's AI traces it to tin ear-trumpets and deafness. Google Books
finds instances of the phrase 'tin ear trumpet' in books from the 19th Century.

<https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=tin+ear+trumpet&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en&smoothing=3>

The OED, on the other hand, equates 'tin ear' to 'cauliflower ear', with tone-deafness as a second meaning. Its first citation is from 1923.

Next, 'cloth-eared' (I don't think ear-trumpets were ever made out of cloth)rCa.

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From Newsgroup: alt.english.usage

On 4/2/2026 12:52 AM, HenHanna@NewsGrouper wrote:

I'm wondering if Tin-man and Thin-man are related.
Tin-eared and Tenured can sound similar

How about "force" and "farce"? :)
--
@~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
/ v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
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