not in strict character

English translation: not strictly consistent

04:57 Dec 26, 2012

English language (monolingual) [PRO] Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: not in strict character Now, as the harem of whales is called by the fishermen a school, so is the lord and master of that school technically known as the schoolmaster. It is therefore ------------------not in strict character, ------------------however admirably satirical, that after going to school himself, he should then go abroad inculcating not what he learned there, but the folly of it. His title, schoolmaster, would very naturally seem derived from the name bestowed upon the harem itself, but some have surmised that the man who first thus entitled this sort of Ottoman whale, must have read the memoirs of Vidocq, and informed himself what sort of a country-schoolmaster that famous Frenchman was in his younger days, and what was the nature of those occult lessons he inculcated into some of his pupils. Thank you!	Michael Kislov Russian Federation
Selected answer:not strictly consistent Explanation: Melville has just told us that a male whale, who had a harem of females, like a "Grand Turk", abandons the harem in old age and becomes solitary, warning young male whales to avoid the very behaviour in which he himself, the Grand Turk, indulged in when young: "goes about all alone among the meridians and parallels saying his prayers, and warning each young Leviathan from his amorous errors" Since the harem is called a "school" of whales, the male in charge of it (the "Grand Turk") is called a "schoolmaster", the master of a school. This is a joke, of course, since "schoolmaster" normally means a teacher. When younger, this "schoolmaster" taught young males, by example, that a male should keep many females; when old, he teaches the opposite. So this behaviour, though characteristic (typical) of males whales, is inconsistent, because when old they teach the opposite of their own behaviour when young. The reference to Vidocq underline the point, because Vidocq was a notorious criminal when young, and in later life became a detective and founded the Sûreté Nationale. So again, the idea is of teaching in later life the opposite of what one taught when young. "Not in strict character", meaning not strictly in character, not strictly consistent with his earlier behaviour and teaching, is an ironic, jocular, understatement; it is blatantly inconsistent. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2012-12-26 09:33:53 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- "In character" would normally mean that which is to be expected of someone in view of his/her character or personality; if a person is honest, we say it is not in character for him/her to behave dishonestly. I think Melville is using "character" here in a particularly sense which is no longer current, as defined here by Webster in 1828: "character 8. Adventitious qualities impressed by office, or station; the qualities that, in public estimation, belong to a person in a particular station; as when we ask how a magistrate, or commander supports his character." http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/character So "character" could then mean that which is to be expected of someone in a given occupation. Here, not (strictly) in character means not what is to be expected of a "schoolmaster" (of this particular kind).	Selected response from: Charles Davis Spain Local time: 03:37
Grading comment 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4	uncharacteristic	John Alphonse
4	not strictly consistent	Charles Davis

  

Answers

1 hr   confidence: 

uncharacteristic Explanation: It describes a behavior that would not normally follow based on the nature of the whale.	John Alphonse United States Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 36
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4 hrs   confidence: 

not strictly consistent Explanation: Melville has just told us that a male whale, who had a harem of females, like a "Grand Turk", abandons the harem in old age and becomes solitary, warning young male whales to avoid the very behaviour in which he himself, the Grand Turk, indulged in when young: "goes about all alone among the meridians and parallels saying his prayers, and warning each young Leviathan from his amorous errors" Since the harem is called a "school" of whales, the male in charge of it (the "Grand Turk") is called a "schoolmaster", the master of a school. This is a joke, of course, since "schoolmaster" normally means a teacher. When younger, this "schoolmaster" taught young males, by example, that a male should keep many females; when old, he teaches the opposite. So this behaviour, though characteristic (typical) of males whales, is inconsistent, because when old they teach the opposite of their own behaviour when young. The reference to Vidocq underline the point, because Vidocq was a notorious criminal when young, and in later life became a detective and founded the Sûreté Nationale. So again, the idea is of teaching in later life the opposite of what one taught when young. "Not in strict character", meaning not strictly in character, not strictly consistent with his earlier behaviour and teaching, is an ironic, jocular, understatement; it is blatantly inconsistent. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2012-12-26 09:33:53 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- "In character" would normally mean that which is to be expected of someone in view of his/her character or personality; if a person is honest, we say it is not in character for him/her to behave dishonestly. I think Melville is using "character" here in a particularly sense which is no longer current, as defined here by Webster in 1828: "character 8. Adventitious qualities impressed by office, or station; the qualities that, in public estimation, belong to a person in a particular station; as when we ask how a magistrate, or commander supports his character." http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/character So "character" could then mean that which is to be expected of someone in a given occupation. Here, not (strictly) in character means not what is to be expected of a "schoolmaster" (of this particular kind).	Charles Davis Spain Local time: 03:37 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 236
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