Related Terms
Several idioms describe dilemmas:
- "Between Scylla and Charybdis"
- "Lesser of two evils"
- "Between a rock and a hard place", since both objects or metaphorical choices are rough.
- "Between the devil and the deep blue sea"
A dilemma with more than two forks is sometimes called a trilemma (3), tetralemma (4), or polylemma.
The incorrect spelling dilemna is often seen in common usage. It appears to have been taught in many areas of the United States and all over the world, including (but not limited to) France, England, Jamaica and Australia. There is no prima facie reason for this substitution error and there is no erroneous parallel to be found with the word lemma, from which dilemma derives.
Read more about this topic: Dilemma
Famous quotes containing the words related and/or terms:
“Women stand related to beautiful nature around us, and the enamoured youth mixes their form with moon and stars, with woods and waters, and the pomp of summer. They heal us of awkwardness by their words and looks. We observe their intellectual influence on the most serious student. They refine and clear his mind: teach him to put a pleasing method into what is dry and difficult.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“It is not stressful circumstances, as such, that do harm to children. Rather, it is the quality of their interpersonal relationships and their transactions with the wider social and material environment that lead to behavioral, emotional, and physical health problems. If stress matters, it is in terms of how it influences the relationships that are important to the child.”
—Felton Earls (20th century)