Is the glass half empty or half full?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Is the glass half empty or half full? is an idiom.
The question is a common expression with both an obvious meaning and a meaning which is inferred or implied.[1]
The phrase describes two different ways of understanding the meaning of a situation.[2] Idioms are a common stumbling block for learners of a language.
The idiom is used rhetorically to indicate that a particular situation could be a cause for optimism (half full) or pessimism (half empty).[3]
Metaphor [change]
The phrase is a metaphor. For example,
- According to musician Jelly Roll Morton, "If a glass of water is full, you can't add any more water, but if you have half a glass, you can always put more water in it -- and jazz music is based on the same principles."[4]
Related pages [change]
References [change]
- ↑ Harley, Trevor. (2010). Talking the Talk: Language, Psychology and Science, p. 212.
- ↑ Heacock, Paul. (2003). Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms, p. 148.
- ↑ Ammer, Chritine. (1997). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, p. 252.
- ↑ Sales, Grover. (1992). Jazz: America's Classical Music, p. 57.
