Talk:exception that proves the rule
I believe that the Latin here is misunderstood (and that the same misunderstanding occurred as this phrase first passed into English). Probat in Latin can mean "tests"; I am not at all sure it can mean "proves" in the sense given here. - Jmabel 16:55, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
The examples given are false assumptions. From a mathmatical view, "Parking on Sunday is free." does not imply that parking on other weekdays is not free. It just stands for itself and only defines that parking on sunday is free. Same for the second example.
I also agree to the writing before me, that its tests not confirms. A common translation error.
Other translations edit
Hi, these translations were on the enwiki article.
In all of these languages the expression means "(the) exception(s) confirm(s) the rule":
- الاستثناء يؤكّد القاعدة
- Iznimka koja potvrđuje pravilo
- Výjimka potvrzuje pravidlo
- Undtagelsen der bekræfter reglen
- Uitzonderingen bevestigen de regel
- Erand kinnitab reeglit
- poikkeus vahvistaa säännön
- L'exception qui confirme la règle
- Ausnahmen bestätigen die Regel
- Η εξαίρεση επιβεβαιώνει τον κανόνα
- kivétel erősíti a szabályt
- Undantekningin sem sannar regluna
- L'eccezione che conferma la regola
- Išimtis patvirtina taisyklę
- अपवादाने नियम सिद्ध होतो
- Unntaket som bekrefter regelen
- Wyjątek potwierdza regułę
- A exce(p)ção confirma a regra
- Excepția confirmă regula
- Исключение подтверждает правило
- Изузетак (који) потврђује правило
- Výnimka potvrdzuje pravidlo
- Izjema potrjuje pravilo
- La excepción que confirma la regla
- Undantaget [som] bekräftar regeln
- Виняток підтверджує правило