Actually Ann, I think you are seeing a mixed metaphor in 'the 800 pound gorilla in the room'. One person talked about the 800 pound gorilla. as being, basically, the alpha male, silverback or dominant person, which is quite a convincing metaphor, but it seems to have got itself mixed up with the elephant in the room, which is a different kettle of fish.
Personally, I think a gorilla should cost a lot more than 800 pounds, but that's eBay for you. -- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of ann sanfedele > Sent: 14 November 2006 20:45 > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: Re: way OT: 800 pound gorilla in the room > > What is fascinating is the slight variations on what all of you > (who answered quickly, so apparently have no lives :) :) ) > mentioned. > > I had kinda guessed wrong about the origin, I see. > > Thanks to you all! > > ann > > Mark Roberts wrote: > > > ann sanfedele wrote: > > > > >any of you guys know where this originated? it is > > >turning up in a commerical here in the USA - seems > > >to me to mean something akin to sticking out like a sore > > >thumb. > > >the gorilla says > > >"but what do I know, I'm only the 800 pound gorilla in the > > >room" > > >after offering advice to a couple pondering something or > > >other - > > >maybe investments. > > > > The "800-pound gorilla" is a metaphor for any person or > agency that is > > so big and powerful that he/she/it dominates totally and whom no one > > can challenge. > > > > "Adobe is the 800-pound gorilla of the image editing > software business" > > > > "Frank Theriault is the 800-pound gorilla of the blurry > photo business" > > > > etc. etc. > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
