Hi. I've been looking at news on the internet and I found something that confused me. Could you let me know what it is?
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Bipolar Disorder Runs in the Family
Bipolar disorder, the mental illness once known as manic depression, is brought about by a chemical imbalance in the brain that sends patients from one emotional extreme to the other, from delusions of grandeur, motormouth and, as one writer put it, buying an airplane to deep despair. They can also suddenly become angry or suspicious, or obsessed with sex
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What does "buying an airplane to deep despair" mean in this article?
Is it a English idiom?
Wating for your help.
2006-09-24 14:30:44 · 6 answers · asked by Bo 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
HAHA....you're stalking me on Yahoo Answers lol..its ok tho. But I suggest that instead of asking these questions on the internet...you should get someone to do one on one tutoring with you..that way it would be easier or you could go back to school for a degree in english and they'll teach you really good stuff like idooims, grammar, meathors, and all that.....
2006-09-26 10:09:28 · answer #1 · answered by Vietnam_sweeite 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sentence is horrible. The writer has tried to give three examples of one extreme: (1) delusions of grandeur, (2) motormouth - whatever that is, and (3) buying an airplane. Then he gives one example of the other extreme: deep despair. But his punctuation, and parenthetical phrase "as one writer puts it", leave the first two dangling, and bind the third and its opposite far too tightly together. Buying an airplane is one thing, and deep despair is completely different.
2006-09-25 04:17:07 · answer #2 · answered by bh8153 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a metaphor, and could mean such things like "on a downward spiral" etc. As for your question, it is a slight idiom, in the case of it being slightly obvious (deep despair) but using different verbs and actions to attain "deep despair". That is the best I can answer it, sorry if I cannot be any more help.
2006-09-24 14:43:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is not an idiom, it is a metaphor. The author of the article is citing another author. The second author wished to write a colorful description of how quickly a bipolar person from the emotional extremes, ecstatic to despondent in this case.
The comparison hinges on the speed of airplanes.
2006-09-24 16:46:17 · answer #4 · answered by mahgri 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It means that the bipolar person is so depressed that he or she enjoys being in deep despair. What do you think it means? Also do your best and your teacher, Professor will go easy on you. Just try. And take our advices.
2006-09-24 15:16:29 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is a metaphor, and a terrible one at that. I can guarantee you that you will never see this sentence again in your lifetime.
2006-09-24 18:49:24 · answer #6 · answered by KFIfan 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋