Comments on: Monthly etymology gleanings for January 2013, part 2 http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Thu, 23 May 2013 12:47:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: D. Fear http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/#comment-356709 D. Fear Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:37:21 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=35084#comment-356709 The Carmen Arvale would seem to indicate, too, that Mars cannot belong to mare - the form there is Marmar, reduplicated. The Carmen Arvale would seem to indicate, too, that Mars cannot belong to mare – the form there is Marmar, reduplicated.

]]> By: Marc Leavitt http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/#comment-356692 Marc Leavitt Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:03:07 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=35084#comment-356692 As always, professor Liberman, a fine post. I would suggest that 'cross out' is still in common use, as in "please cross outthe information that doesn't apply to you," and 'expunge' is still in use, but as a 'serious' word; "We expunged all references to Christianity from our holiday message." I take delete in using all three words as the occasion arises. As always, professor Liberman, a fine post. I would suggest that ‘cross out’ is still in common use, as in “please cross outthe information that doesn’t apply to you,” and ‘expunge’ is still in use, but as a ‘serious’ word; “We expunged all references to Christianity from our holiday message.” I take delete in using all three words as the occasion arises.

]]> By: Fred Thrung http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/#comment-356431 Fred Thrung Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:20:01 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=35084#comment-356431 A huge problem with "actually" is that for many Europeans without English as their first or mother tongue it means "happening right now". I've seen this resulting in many confusing situations. A huge problem with “actually” is that for many Europeans without English as their first or mother tongue it means “happening right now”. I’ve seen this resulting in many confusing situations.

]]> By: John Cowan http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/#comment-356414 John Cowan Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:37:30 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=35084#comment-356414 In addition, it means (as its etymology suggests) to change in form, not merely to change. Likewise, <i>utilize</i> means to make use of, not merely to use: I do not utilize my shoes to keep my feet dry, but I may utilize a screwdriver to open a can of house paint. <i>Niche</i> may be "nitch" in some places, but it is unquestionably still "neesh" in others; I myself make it "nish", though I don't know exactly why. <i>Evolve</i> has meant 'change' ever since Darwin, though he himself uses it only in the older sense of 'unroll, unfold' (figurative), perhaps because in his day <i>evolution</i> was the technical term for a theory of development that he held to be wrong. All connotations of improvement are simply incorrect from a biological perspective. Thanks for letting us know that you don't read late comments to posts. In addition, it means (as its etymology suggests) to change in form, not merely to change. Likewise, utilize means to make use of, not merely to use: I do not utilize my shoes to keep my feet dry, but I may utilize a screwdriver to open a can of house paint.

Niche may be “nitch” in some places, but it is unquestionably still “neesh” in others; I myself make it “nish”, though I don’t know exactly why.

Evolve has meant ‘change’ ever since Darwin, though he himself uses it only in the older sense of ‘unroll, unfold’ (figurative), perhaps because in his day evolution was the technical term for a theory of development that he held to be wrong. All connotations of improvement are simply incorrect from a biological perspective.

Thanks for letting us know that you don’t read late comments to posts.

]]> By: Nikita http://blog.oup.com/2013/02/mare-mars-monkey-better-overused-words/#comment-356397 Nikita Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:13:54 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=35084#comment-356397 "Morph" is neither an instance of pretentious Latinism nor unpretentious latinism. “Morph” is neither an instance of pretentious Latinism nor unpretentious latinism.

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