[PEN-L:2651] Re: to poet piet

[knowware@xxxxxxxx (Tom Walker)]

Mathew Forstater wrote,

>mine asked me why all the graves in the cemetery had "plus signs" on
>them

More precisely, the plus signs are *over* the graves: a sur-plus.

sur- [1]
                  1.  a prefix meaning " over, above, " " in
                       addition, " occurring mainly in
                       loanwords from French and partial
                       calques of French words: surcharge;
                       surname; surrender.
             [ME < OF < L super- SUPER -]


plus (plus)  prep.
                  1.  increased by: Ten plus two is twelve.
                  2.  in addition to: to have wealth plus fame.
              adj.
                  3.  involving or noting addition.
                  4.  positive: on the plus side.
                  5.  more or greater, as in relation to a
                       certain amount or level: A plus for
                       effort.
                  6.  pertaining to or characterized by
                       positive electricity: the plus terminal.
                  7.  of a remarkable degree: She has
                       personality plus.
              n.
                  8.  a plus quantity.
                  9.  PLUS SIGN.
                10.  something additional.
                11.  a surplus or gain.
              conj.
                12.  also; furthermore: It's safe plus it's
                       economical.
              adv.
                13.  in addition; besides.


>Tom Walker wrote:
>
>> piet,
>>
>> Last night my five-year old son asked me:
>>
>> "When you add two plus two,
>> is it that the first two is 'one, two'
>> and the second two is 'three, four'?"


Tom Walker
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/