however, james, language IS defined by its usage.

wassup now my nigga?

 

I agree Bage, but when you consider that just about everytime someone wants to say that on this board they say "[insert word or act] makes me nauseous" and Magician comes in and corrects them, wouldn't you consider that the usage defining the language would also concur with the fact that the original correct meaning is still a valid meaning ??

I don't know the make up of the "Usage Panel", but their view seems inconsistant with that of the general population .....

 

shit bitch, what you rappin bout?

 

****ed if I know !

 

Nauseating little discussion, this.

 

Whereas most people misunderstand and confuse the meanings of "nauseous" and "nauseated", and

whereas a majority of people misunderstand and confuse the meanings of "compose" and "comprise", and

whereas the lion's share of people misunderstand and confuse the meanings of "scan" and "skim", and

whereas a plurality of people misunderstand and confuse the meanings of "imply" and "infer";

therefore, I intend to skim, not scan, the posts that compose, not comprise, this thread is a cursory attempt to find those that imply, not infer, that I misuse English until I am nauseated, not nauseous, whereupon I intend to stop and resume preparing a midterm exam for my linear algebra and differential equations class.

Humph!

(From the Greek.)

 

I used to refer my dad's copy of Fowler's Modern English Usage for stuff like this, but I don't have that handy right now.

Having said that, I do consider the OED the authority on the English language though.

 

I think from Bill's refusal to argue the point with me, Jack, we can assume that even he is unable to prove me to be incorrect

 

God, you're such an asshole James.

 

Nice to have you back though!