On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 10:02:14AM -0600, Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote:
> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/disconnect
>
> I don't know how long the noun usage has been around, but I remember hearing
> it as a child (20 years ago), so I'd say you just need to update your
> dictionary. (1913 Websters, really?)
I've never heard of "a disconnect". It is the opposite of connect.
(Yep, some people still say incorrectly - "unmount" when it should be
"dismount")
AIUI, the education system 20 years ago had some flaws which have
shown themselves in the last few years.
> Also, particularly where I come from (U.S.; specifically "The South"),
> English
> speakers don't follow the formal rules of grammar well. So, nouns get
IOW, " they make up your own rules".
> verbed, and verbs get nouned, words and phrases get abbreviated, mangled, and
^^^^^^ ^^^^^^
Huh?
> misunderstood, and the language evolves. (There are probably some more
Yeah, apparently "awful" originally meant "full of awe".
According to "The Pocket Oxford Dictionary" Compiled by F. G. Fowler &
H. W. Fowler; (1st ed 1924 Reprinted with corrections 1947, 1949, 1952,
1953, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960):
awe. 1. n. Reverential fear (stand in a. of).
2. v.t. (-wable). Inspire with a.
...
awful a. Inspiring, worthy of a.; (colloq.) notable in its kind (an
awful bore, relief).
awfully adv., (esp., colloq) very (awfully good of you). [E]
> serious errors in a 1913 dictionary than not having the noun form of some
> verbs.)
Are the errors in the dictionary or is it that a high percentage of the
population are misusing/abusing the {words,rules} of english?
--
Chris.
======
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god
than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other
possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
-- Stephen F Roberts
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
