At 18:25 04-10-2002 -0500, Adam Lipscomb wrote: > > >I'm not asking for an L3 post - just a simple explanation as to why > > >you insist your position is the correct one. > > > > I have already explained that a few times now. I see no reason to keep > > repeating myself. > >And the "reasoning" you give is incorrect, inane and illogical. Your >claims as to the meaning of the term were refuted with definitions from >the Merriam-Webster dictionary, as well as the Encyclopedia Britannica >and, ultimately, the Oxford English Dictionary.
I could write my own reply to that, but William Goodall already wrote something that qualifies as an excellent response to what you are saying, so I will just quote it here: >Dictionaries are descriptive rather than prescriptive: that is they describe >how words *are* used not how words *ought* to be used. Additionally they are >inclusive rather than exclusive: if a usage is in a dictionary that means >that some people have used the word that way, but if a usage is not in a >dictionary that does not mean that the word has not been used that way by >some people. >You replied that the OED was wrong, Hm, looks like someone is intercepting my messages, rewriting them, and then sending them on to you. I did an search on "OED" and "wrong" on my messages, but in none of them did I reply that the OED is wrong. >yet refuse to explain *why* you insist that your knowledge of proper >usage of the English language is correct over the internationally >recognized authority. First you say that my explanation is "incorrect, inane and illogical", and then you go on to say that I refuse to give an explanation. How can an explanation be "incorrect, inane and illogical" if I never gave an explanation? English may not be my first language, but I do recognise a contradiction when I see one... IIRC, what you just did is known in English as "painting yourself into a corner". :-) Anyway, I have already explained several times why I think my interpretation is correct. Now, this might be a shocking new concept to some people, but have you ever considered the possibility that both interpretations might actually *both* be valid? As William pointed out, the fact that a meaning of a word is not in a dictionary does not mean that the meaning is not used. Jeroen "Likud Delenda Est" van Baardwijk __________________________________________________________________________ Wonderful-World-of-Brin-L Website: http://www.Brin-L.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
