Transatlantic Translation Required

[kelticwizard]

From a report from England's victory in the Rugby World Championship. Congratualtions, by the way!

"The match represented the culmination of four impressive years of improvement from an England team that flattered to deceive in the last World Cup."

Flattered to deceive?

I thought that to flatter somebody means to compliment them, even over-compliment them.

I am sorry, but this phrase makes no sense to me. Any help would be appreciated.

[wintermute]

Was this from one of the commentators by any chance. The same one who said that there was an ausie naval vessel in the Gulf with their own satelite on board so that they could watch the match, perhaps?????

There was another equally stupid comment that I can't remember right now

Regards,

Tony.

[bigparsnip]

Ours are just as bad too, you sometimes wonder if some of the things they say are there just as them taking the **** and seeing what they can get away with in terms of shear stupidity, or senslesness.

[kelticwizard]

Thanks, wintermute and bigparsnip.

But I just want to make sure that it is not so much the rugby judgment of the author that you are objecting to, as it is the phrase "flatter to deceive".

I know "flatter" and "deceive", of course, but the phrase "flatter to deceive" means nothing to me. Does it mean anything to you, and perhaps it just didn't make it over here? Or is the author simply using words in an incredibly clumsy way?

PS: We have some real clowns for sportswriters over here, too.

[wintermute]

Nope I think that some of the rugby commentators/Journos try to come up with cool sounding comments, but don't have any idea how stupid they sound, or the fact that they don't make any sense at all.

I partially remembered the other really stupid thing I heard one of the commentators say last night. It was something along the line of "the temperature is going right off the richter scale" Considering that the richter scale is used for measuring the intensity of earth tremmors I thought this was pretty dumb (and typical of commentator comments). I'm not sure it was temperature, but it was definitely nothing to do with earth quakes

Regards,

Tony.

[bigparsnip]

Yep, I think I'll concur, it's just gibberish.

[pinkmouse]

It's more flowery style of 19thC English, when a wider vocabulary was in use, and might even be a quote from a poem.

In this context, it means making every one else look good by not playing to the best of your ability, so lulling them into a false sense of security.

[wintermute]

Well there you go! Once explained it actually does make sense. Bit like the card or pool shark.......

Regards,

Tony.

[kelticwizard]

Thanks, Pinkmouse, that helps a lot. Yes, it actually makes sense now.

I suppose it would be clearer to say "flattered by deceiving" or that equally poetic pugilistic standby, "took a dive", but as you said it is probably from a poem.

Nice to have you back.