I suspect the main cause of misunderstanding (and subsequent misuse) is omission of the relative pronoun “that”. The phrase should always be “[that is] the exception that proves the rule”, never “the exception proves the rule”.
Probably even better to just include “in cases not so excepted” at the end.
I suspect the main cause of misunderstanding (and subsequent misuse) is omission of the relative pronoun “that”. The phrase should always be “[that is] the exception that proves the rule”, never “the exception proves the rule”.
Probably even better to just include “in cases not so excepted” at the end.