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#61292
03/15/2002 1:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
There seems to be a tendency to use disconnect as a noun, as in an editorial column this week that referred to a "vast disconnect" between government and ordinary people. Is this now considered acceptable? And are there other verbs that are being recast as nouns without benefit of affixes?
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#61293
03/15/2002 2:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
I tried to think of a better way of saying it, and could not immediately improve on it. So I am tempted to say it is useful, and therefore permissible.
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#61294
03/15/2002 2:39 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
Well, there's affect - which is dealt with elsewhere, I think. This was a jargon word with a discrete meaning in some arcane subject or other, I believe, but is now being used increasingly in ordinary (/) conversation, usually where I would say "effect" (or use a totally different - more correct(!) word.)
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#61295
03/16/2002 11:44 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
> a "vast disconnect" between government and ordinary people.
Wouldn't a 'lack of engagement' or a 'lack of social allegiance', or something like that have been acceptable, if not clearer in this case, ST? Or if one is determined to use a noun, then why not 'disconnection', 'disengagement', or simply 'uninvolvement'? Sounds like an unimaginative and lackluster use of language to me.
tired@misantropist.net
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#61296
03/17/2002 2:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
why not 'disconnection', 'disengagement', or simply 'uninvolvement'?
I thought gap might do it.
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#61297
03/17/2002 7:15 AM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
> I thought gap might do it.
A 'gulf' or 'rift' might be more suitable in this case, don't you think?
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#61298
03/17/2002 2:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
Have to go with disconnection ... as I infer the writer was writing about a change - i.e. where once citizens we connected to government now they are not.
More specific than gap, rift, etc which gives no allusion to a previous state of involvement.
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