bill, you seem to be under the misaprehension that I, since I was familiar with quinion, could have saved you some embarassment... and since I didn't, I was therefore setting you up for same. is this the correct reading of your disquiet?
let me try to explain how I react to word speculations (and this is different than when I first started posting to this board). I am fortunate to have a very fine history of the English language at my (online) disposal, and the temptation is *great to jump right in at the first opportunity to "set the record straight". but that will often stifle *any further discussion, so I don't do that too often these days. (I'm not always able to stifle myself in that regard.)
but when I don't have an answer immediately to hand on some wordy issue, I usually look in some other fine references that I have at hand in hard copy. my final resort is to 'google' -- and I say final because of all the garbage out here on the 'net. as it happens, all of the several* references I have made to quinion came about as the result of googles. when quinion happens to show up via google, I'll reference that readily because I have (through my own experience) learned to value Michael's research. but I don't make a practice of going to his site to see if I can find specific words or phrases. it's just not the way I do research. (and his lists aren't extensive enough to make that very rewarding.)
my final comment on the subject is that I never... never... ever have made a practice of hiding my resources. many have asked me where I find words for my subscription list and I have a list that I maintain and provide in answer. I may have even posted that list here at one time -- I can't remember because of all the times I've answered that question.
I don't mean to belabor the point, but I hope this exegesis helps you feel better about my methods.
-tsuwm
*ycliu
