Warning: mysqli::__construct(): (HY000/1203): User howardkn already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connections in D:\Inetpub\vhosts\howardknight.net\al.howardknight.net\includes\artfuncs.php on line 21
Failed to connect to MySQL: (1203) User howardkn already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connections
Warning: mysqli::query(): Couldn't fetch mysqli in D:\Inetpub\vhosts\howardknight.net\al.howardknight.net\index.php on line 66
Article <vgbn86$166r2$1@dont-email.me>
Deutsch   English   Français   Italiano  
<vgbn86$166r2$1@dont-email.me>

View for Bookmarking (what is this?)
Look up another Usenet article

Path: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder2.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz>
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: [I want to be in that number] <-- i've not heard this idiom
 elsewhere
Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2024 13:01:04 +1300
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 41
Message-ID: <vgbn86$166r2$1@dont-email.me>
References: <8a46af9a0e25d7ec58a383f92df08f2f@www.novabbs.com>
 <vgadb3$u83r$1@dont-email.me>
Reply-To: r.clark@auckland.ac.nz
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Injection-Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 01:01:10 +0100 (CET)
Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="8139fb032db37e98578c9061d1a39596";
	logging-data="1252194"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org";	posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+Bq+i55lOkgQQaOs/R/qAmp22cEJ/hr4o="
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.0; rv:52.0) Gecko/20100101
 Thunderbird/52.9.1
Cancel-Lock: sha1:V4OQ8vgu1tDWQjO6P7/5X1jmVEA=
Content-Language: en-GB
In-Reply-To: <vgadb3$u83r$1@dont-email.me>
Bytes: 2864

On 5/11/2024 1:05 a.m., Ed Cryer wrote:
> HenHanna wrote:
>> [Yes, I want to be in that number] <-- i've never heard this idiom
>> anywhere else
>>
>>
>>            The phrase "I want to be in that number" is an idiomatic
>> expression that conveys a desire to be included in a particular group or
>> experience, often associated with something positive or significant.
>> ...........
>>
>>
>>            This kind of phrasing can be found in various songs and
>> traditions, especially in spirituals and gospel music
>>
> I should think that the most likely source of that "number" in "Oh When 
> The Saints Go Marching In" is the last book of the New Testament in the 
> Bible; the Apocalypse.
> That book is full of numbers; 4 and 7 occur a lot, 666 will be the 
> number of the Antichrist (I once read that that pointed to the Roman 
> emperor Nero, but can't recall the convoluted reasoning; something to do 
> with the letters of Nero's name), and then, of course, the 144,000 who 
> will be saved because of their righteousness (12,000 from each of the 
> tribes of Israel). Those are the saints who'll go marching into heaven.
> And, yeah, I'd like to be there, too, but I doubt I'm half good enough.
> 
> Greek language, rather than Latin; Roman intellectuals tended to 
> venerate classical Greek culture; and copy it.
> 
> Ed
> 

OED:  number (n) II.8.b.
c1350–
A particular body or company of persons or things. Now only in 
constructions denoting inclusion, as of (also in, etc.) the number (of).

1785 The Emperor continues to give proofs of his desire of receiving us 
into the number of his tributaries.  (T.Jefferson, letter)