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On a personal note, I detest the use of "-wise" to coin new words. It has an ugly sound, and tends to be used in places where a perfectly good word or phrase already exists.
However, in informal speech, almost anything goes, I suppose. I do cringe, internally, when other people use the form, but I hope I don't let it show.
So far as "street-wise" is concerned, this is an entirely different usage, for which I can see no real objection. It has the meaning of "wise in the way that life is lived in a particular context", whereas the suffix of which I have just complained (somewhat tetchily, I fear!) has the meaning of "tending towards" or "having to do with," or possible "matters concerning."
E.g., "He is a smooth operator, business-wise" means that he has a certain amount of acumen in matters concerning business. (There is, I suppose, a faint connotation that he is such a smooth operator in other aspects of life!)
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted wise guy belligerentyouth 05/22/01 01:46 PM Re: wise guy RhubarbCommando 05/23/01 08:19 AM Re: wise guy Max Quordlepleen 05/23/01 08:23 AM Re: wise guy wow 05/23/01 02:15 PM Re: wise guy Bobyoungbalt 05/23/01 03:42 PM Re: wise guy slovovoi 05/23/01 02:12 PM Re: wise guy rodward 05/23/01 03:28 PM Re: wise guy Sparteye 05/23/01 06:42 PM Re: wise guy of troy 05/23/01 07:32 PM Re: wise guy NicholasW 05/24/01 01:21 PM Re: wise guy belligerentyouth 05/25/01 09:35 AM Re: wise guy ammelah 05/24/01 04:03 PM Re: wise guy wow 05/24/01 04:06 PM Wise guise musick 05/24/01 05:17 PM Re: wise guy tsuwm 05/27/01 05:17 PM
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