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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 2 of 2 1 2 Re: masterful tsuwm #189911 03/14/10 10:53 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Originally Posted By: tsuwm MWCD comments: [color:#339999]Since masterly had but one sense, the pundit opined that it would be tidy if masterful were likewise limited to one sense and he forthwith condemned use of masterful 2 as an error. Tidy?! Tidy?!?! We are not talking about "tidy" here, m'sieur! We are talking about language! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: masterful Faldage #189993 03/16/10 06:19 PM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 87 Ohio V vanguard journeyman vanguard journeyman V Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 87 Ohio Indeed, "tidy" exists as a part of the language, but its attributes do not obtain to language. What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy? -Ursula K. Le Guin, author (1929- ) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: masterful vanguard #190007 03/17/10 10:19 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Exactly. This is just the same reasoning that gave us that split infinitive monstrosity. There was never a prohibition against splitting infinitives in English, either in normal speech or in the writing of good writers. Then some guy came along and said he didn't think it was very tidy and he didn't like it and suddenly every rabid prescriptivist is saying anyone who splits infinitives is an ignorant lout who should be shunned by all right-thinking individuals. The good folk at Language Log refer to these things as "zombie rules" because of their ability to keep going no matter how many stakes are driven through their hearts. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 2 of 2 1 2 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 Website 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 Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,913 Posts229,317 Members9,182 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV 9,182 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 members (), 596 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 31 A C Bowden 13 LukeJavan8 1 ddrinnan 1 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,542 wofahulicodoc 10,534 LukeJavan8 9,916 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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