Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#103403 05/16/03 04:18 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
From the Old Norse, we received the adjective "scant" and the adverb "scantily." We make scanty use of either and, when we use them at all, we seem to use them in very narrowly defined situations. About the only place I see "scant" used is in cooking instructions, e.g. add a scant teaspoon of arsenic or dried bat wings or somesuch. About the only place I see "scantily" used is in reference to people (or women, more precisely) who are not wearing much, described as "scantily clad." Why is this?




#103404 05/16/03 08:08 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
Hi Father Steve,
With your phrase to use them in very narrowly defined situations in fact you nearly answer your question yourself: scant(y) covers such a small stretch between "too little" and "enough" (not including those boundaries), that opportunity for it's use rarely arises. Large expanses prevail on either side of it's domain.


#103405 05/16/03 08:18 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Well, the first 30 hits from Google agree with you for scantily. They are all scantily clad or scantily dressed --mainly women, but also two for men, and one for a little boy.

The results for scanty are skewed by the presence of two pop groups Scanty Sandwich and The Scanty. However I did find this gem about a cactus: This wood has scanty paratracheal parenchyma. I'm surprised this example didn't immediately spring to mind.

Scant on the other hand seems to occur with lots of different nouns: reward, hope, prospects, salary, regard, respect, growth, progress, evidence.

Bingley


Bingley
#103406 05/16/03 12:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Only rant
is
never scant.


#103407 05/18/03 01:51 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
scanty use

I would say scant use. In fact, "we made scant use" has always been something of an idiom to me. We bought the fertilizer, but we made scant use of it. Don't think I've ever heard or used scanty use.



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5