"Beclown" (two 2-21-07 articles)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

_http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/word-of-day-beclown.html_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/word-of-day-beclown.html) 
...  
 
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
 
Word of the Day - Beclown 
 

This is not just a word of the day, this is an  emerging word. Beclown is a 
verb, most commonly used in a transitive, reflexive  form. To beclown one's 
self is to make an public idiot of one's self. But it  seems to take a little bit 
more than saying something stupid. Anyone can do  that. To truly beclown 
one's self, it's necessary to close one's eyes to things  that could be found in 
all of five seconds with a search. It's necessary to  assume a pompous, 
self-righteous, self-omniscient, self-omnibenevolent attitude  while making the 
stupid utterance.

A Google search for beclown shows that  beclown is a legitimate Scrabble 
word, but there are no results for  "define:beclown"

The first Google search result for beclown is by  Australian blogger _Tim 
Blair, who used "beclown" on  Monday_ 
(http://timblair.net/ee/index.php/weblog/comments/increase_support_by_withdrawing/) :

[Doug] Bandow has previously _beclowned_ 
(http://timblair.spleenville.com/archives/006219.php)  himself on matters Australian; why  is he even published 
here? 

Instapundit writes in _an opinion column in the Rocky Mountain  News_ 
(http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/speakout/2007/02/arguing_from_ignorance_1.h
tml) :

Paul Campos has beclowned himself. He did it in  the usual way, by arguing 
loudly about things he does not understand.  


Instapundit's final paragraphs add counts to the beclowning  indictment...

Other law professors have, of course, made similar  arguments, at far greater 
length than my blog post. Campos, himself a law  professor, could have 
learned these things through a simple Google search, but  apparently did not.

Instead, he authored an uninformed column, and then  added a thuggish 
suggestion that my university should discipline me for daring  to utter thoughts 
that, in his uninformed state, he found uncongenial. After he  has educated 
himself sufficiently to have an informed opinion on the subject,  Campos might still 
disagree. But if he does, I promise not to try to get him  fired for not 
sharing my opinions. Perhaps one day, he’ll learn to return the  favor.

UPDATE: Welcome Tim Blair readers! _Crossword  Bebop_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/)  is a place where you'll find some _crossword-blogging_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/sunday-new-york-times-crossword-magic.html
) , some _musical musings_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/word-of-day-troglodyte.html) , and some _miscellaneous_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/speaking-of-putting-in-ones-02-worth.html)  _tomfoolery_ 
(http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/2007/02/ball-of-whacks-beloved-by-children-of.ht
ml) . Drop in and have a cuppa!  

Labels: _beclown_ (http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/search/label/beclown) , 
_vocabulary_ (http://crosswordbebop.blogspot.com/search/label/vocabulary)  
... 
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_http://volokh.com/posts/1172078375.shtml_ 
(http://volokh.com/posts/1172078375.shtml) 
...
 
 
[Eugene Volokh, _February  21, 2007 at 12:19pm_ 
(http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2007_02_18-2007_02_24.shtml#1172078375) ] 
"Beclown":
 
This word seems to have enjoyed a resurgence of popularity  recently, usually 
as a contemptuous statement that someone has "beclowned  himself." It is 
indeed a long-attested word, rather than a newly coined word or  a _nonce  word_ 
(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=nonce%20word) . From the OED 
entry on the prefix "be-": 
5. Forming trans. verbs on adjectives and substantives, taken as  complements 
of the predicate, meaning To make: as BEFOUL, to make foul, orig.  to 
surround or affect with foulness; ... BESOT, to turn into a sot. In modern  use, 
nearly all tinged with ridicule or contempt .... 
b. With n.: bebaron, to make into a baron; bebishop, beclown ... 
1609 ROWLANDS Crew Gossips 24 O wretch, O Lob, who would be thus  *beclown'd?
Everything old is new again.

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