Contents
=> “Could & Should in Aphorisms”
=> “Mitlon Berle’s People Potential Poem”
=> In the Next Issue

=> “COULD & “SHOULD” IN AFORISMS
=> MILTON BERLE’S PEOPLE POTENTIAL
POEM
=> In the Next Issue

—————————————————————
“Could & Should in Aphorisms”
—————————————————————

Short witty phrases are called aphorisms, witticisms, or maxims. We’ve listed ten of them below. All of them are missing one word–either “should” or “could.” Choose between them and fill in the blanks.

“Should” is often used for advice. But it’s really helpful to think of “should” as meaning, “It’s a good idea…” “Could” is used to express possibility.

1. I have never met a man so ignorant that I _________n’t learn
something from him.
– Galileo Galilei, Polish Astronomer (1564 - 1642)

2. Half of the modern drugs ____________ well be thrown out of the window, except that the birds might eat them.
– Dr. Martin Henry Fischer

3. Always and never are two words you ________ always remember never to use.
– Wendell Johnson, Speech pathologist (1902-1965)

4. The cat __________ very well be man’s best friend but would never stoop to admitting it.
– Doug Larson, English Runner and 1924 Olympic
Gold Medal Winner (1902 - 1981)

5. You ___________ eat to live; not live to eat.
– Socrates, Greek philosopher (469 - 399 BC)

6. What sane person __________ live in this world and not be crazy?
– Ursula K. LeGuin, American writer

7. I don’t think anyone ________ write their autobiography until
after they’re dead.
– Samuel Goldwyn, American movie producer,(1882 - 1974)

8. A wise man __________ have money in his head, but not in his heart.
– Jonathan Swift, English writer

9. A conservative is a man who believes that nothing __________ be done for the first time.
– Alfred E. Wiggam

10. Whoever fights monsters ___________ see to it that in the process he doesn’t become a monster.
– Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (1844 - 1900)

—————————————————————
“Mitlon Berle’s People Potential Poem”
—————————————————————

We can often use verbs as nouns. That’s what comedian Milton Berle does in this little poem. He makes nouns from the following verbs in order to describe a person’s potential for success:

an are = a person who simply “is” (a success)
a could-be = a person who has potential for success
a has-been = a person who once WAS a success but now isn’t
a maybe = a person with possibilities, but his success is more doubtful than a “could be”
a might-have-been = a person who HAD potential but wasted it or didn’t realize it

Of the these nouns only “has-been” is commonly used. (See “ETs in Russia #4: People Types”). However, this poem is a kind of language puzzle, and will help
learners understand how the verbs actually work. Besides, it’s fun.

Choose from the above words and fill in the blanks. Use them each once.

“I’d Rather Be…”
by Milton Berle

I’d rather be a “____________”
if I cannot be an “are”;
because a “could-be” is a “___________”
who is reaching for a star.
I’d rather be a “___________”
than a might-have-been, by far;
for a “_________________” has never been,
but a has-been was once an “_________.”

<> If your class is up to the task, try giving them the poem again, say, a week later. This time ask them to fill in the gaps without the cues (e.g. without the list of terms).

FULL TEXT OF POEM

I’d rather be a “could-be”
if I cannot be an “are”;
because a “could-be” is a “maybe”
who is reaching for a star.
I’d rather be a “has-been”
than a “might-have-been,” by far;
for a “might-have-been” has never been,
but a “has-been” was once an “are.”

————————————————————–
In the Next Issue (@July 2nd, 2002)
————————————————————–

Slang words for cool people

————————————————————–
Copyright 2002 by Kevin McCaughey