operativeness

[Philip E. Cleary]

> various dictionaries give several senses for "operative", including a
> use for words, picking out the word "having the most relevance or
> significance in a phrase or sentence" (NOAD2) -- in which use it
> couldn't pick out two (or more) words.
>
> however, the OED has an subentry noting that "operative" has a
> relatively recent (cites from 1962, 1979, and 1990) extended sense:
>
> "In weakened sense (without reference to specific activity or
> production): significant, important."
>
> and that would fit the McCain quote.

When I read the quote, I immediately thought of Ron Ziegler's famous
remark about "inoperative" statements.

Phil Cleary

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