off topic?

[tree68]

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

[Anonymous]

Then Larry, can you consder a Topic a path?

How yould you define Path?

Would "walk where the great minds have walked before" be comprised in your definition?

If a path is just a path, How can you have an off path?

A path (topic) would require strict guide lines as to where it is safe and unsafe to travel-

SO a simple definition of the words has only wound this deeper-

[tree68]

Kevin - maybe these will help...

From The American Heritage Dictionary - Second College Edition comes these definitions:

TOPIC - n. 1. A subject treated in a speech, essay, thesis, or portion of a discourse; theme. 2. The subject of a discussion or conversation. 3. A subdivision of a theme, thesis, or outline. {Obs. topic, rhetorical argument < Topics, a work by Aristotle <Lat Topica < Gk. Topika, neuter pl of topikos, of a place < topos, place.}

OFF - adv 1. From a place or position: drive off. 2. a. At a certain distance in space or time: a mile off; a week off. b. From a given course or route; aside: swerved off into a ditch. c. Into a state of unconsciousness: I must have dozed off. [b]3. a. So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected: shaved off his mustache. b. So as to be divided: marked off the playing fields by yards. [#dots]

[:-^]

[Anonymous]

Kevin [;)]

Are you by chance taking a Philosophy class? [;)]

Sure does look that way. [;)] [8D]

[Anonymous]

I see this very often, this single phrase in this forum, and I am starting to wonder about it.

What is off topic exactly is there a set topic? Can anyone define the word topic, and would the word path come into use?

If so, define the word path.

I find off topic rather odd, when there is no general consensus of how a conversation should begin, how it should go and end.

People put "off topic"; it has become evident, when the topic has nothing to do with Trains.

Does this precede the topic, for the simple fact that some people get angry when they open a topic and find it has nothing to do with trains.

If the above is true, I find it odd that these people would then even take the time to respond to the topic, if it upsets them so dearly-

So is this topic off topic, what is off topic, technically there has to be a topic to be off it, what is the topic?

Trains you might say?

Well the two topics that have little to nothing to do with trains are each 20 pages long- so are those classified as being off topic but acceptable?

Therefore, what is an unacceptable off topic conversation?

If the above statement is true, should this conversation then be used around the dinner table- is that the type of off topic we wi***o avoid?

Remember, I am not pin pointing anyone; these are just general questions.
Don’t take it personally, I'm just wondering, that’s all.