Is "Below/Above Average" an oxymoron? I guess they aren't exactly opposite of each other, but then how can you be "above or below" when you're average?
I'm confused by the question. "Below" or "above" are modifying "average". You're not average, you're above average. Or below average.
it only becomes an oxymoron when idiot politicians say things like "we expect all students to be above average"
Oh god, yes. What a fucking moron that man is, and he was in charge of our education system?! (Sorry for off-topicness: ChickenFreak answered the question succinctly).
"Well, that's the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average." -Garrison Keillor
As @ChickenFreak already stated, the term is not describing different kinds of average, but whether one is above or below the middle mark, so no, not an oxymoron. Now that I've addressed the actual question.... Because my country refuses to be beaten at anything, I offer the following from our new Education Secretary : Spoiler: We're fucked
Okay. Yes, yes. That's daunting. But do you folks have "alternative facts"? And to again acknowledge the original question in this thread, "alternative facts" IS an oxymoron.
Guys, I just figured it all out! Make America 'Great' again. 'Great' Britain It's why they left the EU! The U.S. is rejoining the UK! As for the actual question, I don't really see any oxymoron indicators, maybe if you gave us an example?
We do have "Brexit is Brexit" which, to at least pretend I'm still on topic, is a good example of tautology.
No surer sign that we are all in that metaphorical hand-basket headed to hell when we start playing the "my country sucks worse than yours" game.
I was sad when he announced his retirement. A Prarie Home Companion was one of the things I listened to when I wanted to think about my dad. All I have left is Car Talk and one of the brothers died!
What I heard was "Brexit means Brexit" which isn't really a tautology, although it is a woefully unhelpful definition...
It puts me in mind of what an american i used to know said about his military service Army Intelligence = Nearly oxymoronic Airforce Intelligence = the same as army without the 'nearly' Marine Intelligence = the same as airforce but without the 'oxy'
Excuse my encyclopaedic ignorance...but could we have 'uncommonly average' as a rectifying right for the wrong that was at the top of this thread?
doubtless I fully expect @Iain Aschendale to be along shortly to defend the honour of the USMC in the Uk forces we were simpler, we just declared 'millitary intelligence' to be an oxymoron and had done with it
Yup, we're dumber and more vicious than anybody else: Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Essential
Mind you ive also seen the millitary definition of Oxymoron as "an airforce pilot after all the pure oxygen has rotted his brain"