MSGID: 1:153/716.0 d9810d51   
   REPLY: 3:640/1384 5d81568a   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Paul!  Recently you wrote in a message to mark lewis:   
      
    ml>  along the lines of "why do we drive on parkways and   
    ml>  park on driveways", why do we commonly say "inside-out"   
    ml>  and rarely say "outside-in"?  ;)  O:)   
      
    PQ>  I kinda liked your 'right-side' thing but I would've   
    PQ>  used 'rightside' had I thought of it.  ;)   
      
      
            Ahh.  You suggested hyphenating "inside out", and my CANADIAN OXFORD   
   DICTIONARY agreed with you that the term should be hyphenated when used as an   
   attributive adjective.  Mark followed the same pattern in his examples.  IMHO   
   your initial reaction was quite correct... so why do things differently here?   
      
      
      
    ml>  i kinda think it has something to do with alphabetical   
    ml>  ordering...   
      
    PQ>  Oh no, my head hurts if I try that sort of analysis.  Oh,   
    PQ>  the pain... [sfx: channeling Dr Smith, Lost In Space]   
      
      
            You may not need to if, as Anton remarked, you're aware of the sound   
   when various words are used together.  I guess alphabetical order is probably   
   the default in many cases, but native speakers also use expressions like:   
      
                        hurdy-gurdy   
                        itsy-bitsy   
                        goods & chattels   
                        lock, stock, and barrel   
                        pomp & circumstance   
      
   ... at least 4/5 of which were in common use before you & I were born.  ;-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)   
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