the smallness

[flowersa]

Hi, I found some meanings for "smallness" what fits for it ?

It’s the timidity, the smallness of our politics that are holding us
back.”

1
a : having comparatively little size or slight dimensions b : lowercase

2
a : minor in influence, power, or rank b : operating on a limited scale ?


3
: lacking in strength <a small voice> ?

[JohnParis]

Hello flowersa,
I'm not certain I understand your question.
Would you like to know what "smallness" means in the sentence you have given as an example? Is that your question?
John

[TheParser]

[QUOTE=flowersa;846265]


***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) I think that in this sentence, the word "small" means "petty."

(2) And what does "petty" mean?

(3) Well, it means to make something important out of something not important.

(4) Let's say that Mona works in your office. You and Mona are not friends. Neither

are you enemies. Let's say that one day when you passed her in the hall, you said

"Good morning," but she did not reply. Now let's say that someone comes to you and

says, "Mona, the woman who works on the third floor, is having her 80th birthday.

Would you like to sign this birthday card that we are going to give her?" You answer,

"No." We would say that you are acting small or petty. After all, Mona did not hurt

you. Yes, she did not reply to your "Good morning." But she is going to be 80 years

old. You could have been "big" and signed the card.

(5) Well, some people say that politics sometimes is so "small." Instead of discussing

important matters, the media discuss "unimportant" matters. We just had an

example last night. As you know, four men are fighting to represent the Republican

Party in our presidential elections come November. Well, at a debate last night, one of the

reporters asked Mr. about something negative that his former wife of 20 years ago

said about him. Mr. X said something like "You should be ashamed of asking me a

question like that!" The audience not only applauded but they also stood up to show

their support for Mr. X. The economy is in horrible condition. People do not care about

what an ex-wife says. They want to know how to get more jobs created.

(5) Being "big" is the opposite of being "small" in politics (and in life). We also

call this being a "good sport." If you lose an election, you congratulate the winner.

That's being big. If your sports team loses, you congratulate the winning team on

its victory. That's being a good sport. (According to the newspapers, many politicians

and sports fans are not good sports. Often the loser will turn to violence!)

[flowersa]

Hello flowersa,
I'm not certain I understand your question.
Would you like to know what "smallness" means in the sentence you have given as an example? Is that your question?
John

Hi John, yes I wanted to know what is "smallness" in the context that I wrote, but since that I was not sure I wrote here some meanings that I found on internet dictionary ...

[flowersa]

[QUOTE=TheParser;846272]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) I think that in this sentence, the word "small" means "petty."

(2) And what does "petty" mean?

(3) Well, it means to make something important out of something not important.

(4) Let's say that Mona works in your office. You and Mona are not friends. Neither

are you enemies. Let's say that one day when you passed her in the hall, you said

"Good morning," but she did not reply. Now let's say that someone comes to you and

says, "Mona, the woman who works on the third floor, is having her 80th birthday.

Would you like to sign this birthday card that we are going to give her?" You answer,

"No." We would say that you are acting small or petty. After all, Mona did not hurt

you. Yes, she did not reply to your "Good morning." But she is going to be 80 years

old. You could have been "big" and signed the card.

(5) Well, some people say that politics sometimes is so "small." Instead of discussing

important matters, the media discuss "unimportant" matters. We just had an

example last night. As you know, four men are fighting to represent the Republican

Party in our presidential elections come November. Well, at a debate last night, one of the

reporters asked Mr. about something negative that his former wife of 20 years ago

said about him. Mr. X said something like "You should be ashamed of asking me a

question like that!" The audience not only applauded but they also stood up to show

their support for Mr. X. The economy is in horrible condition. People do not care about

what an ex-wife says. They want to know how to get more jobs created.

(5) Being "big" is the opposite of being "small" in politics (and in life). We also

call this being a "good sport." If you lose an election, you congratulate the winner.

That's being big. If your sports team loses, you congratulate the winning team on

its victory. That's being a good sport. (According to the newspapers, many politicians

and sports fans are not good sports. Often the loser will turn to violence!)

Thanks a lot TheParser, you write in a very interesting way and it's clear to me now

[JohnParis]

Flowersa,
I'm glad that TheParser was able to answer your question.
John

[SoothingDave]

It's also about the scope and magnitude of new ideas or programs one brings to governance. Whatever the merits of the idea, forcing every person in the United States to buy medical insurance or face monetary fines is a big idea. Talking about eliminating entire functions/departments of the gov't is also a big idea.

On the other hand, spending a month arguing about spending cuts that amount to fractions of a percent of the gov't budget spread out over the next ten years is small.