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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread well regulated militia #7716 10/11/2000 3:48 PM Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 1 Diocles stranger Diocles stranger Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 1 What is the meaning, exactly, of "well regulated", as in the phrase "well regulated militia"? I always thought that the word "regulated" meant "supervised", or "controlled". If so, the 2nd Amendment would actually be an argument FOR gun control. However, a gun worshipper recently wrote a letter to our local newspaper in which he argued that, in the context of the 2nd Amendment, the word "regulated" means "managed", as in a "well-managed business". The OED seems to support my interpretation. Anyone with any insights on this matter? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: well regulated militia #7717 10/11/2000 6:35 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 belMarduk Carpal Tunnel belMarduk Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 Actually, if you look it up, you will find that regulated means something is governed or directed according to rules or laws. A well-regulated militia follows prescribed rules (not necessarily rules considered legal, but rules nonetheless.) I must plead ignorance as to the contents of 2nd amendment, and who the OED is (are?) as I am from Cda and am only vaguely aware of what you are talking about. If you look through back-copies of threads you will find many good links to on-line dictionaries. You will no longer be at a loss for the definition of words. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: well regulated militia #7718 10/11/2000 6:55 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass >who the OED is... the Oxford English Dictionary is the ne plus ultra of English dictionaries, although it does have a certain British cant... 8-) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: well regulated militia #7719 10/11/2000 6:59 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass ...as to the question, here is more than you could possibly want to know on the subject -- but the point being that you really need to know all the history to know what the founding fathers had in mind by using the words "well regulated militia": http://home.pacbell.net/dragon13/senaterpt.html as with many things in the constitution, people try to apply today's English and context to twist things; not dissimilar to the eisegesis which goes on with the Bible. context, context, context... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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