Why (some) people use dictionaries: "time frame" or "timeframe"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not quite synonymous with "time," because you can't say, "Do you have the
timeframe?" "What timeframe is it?" "That's what happened last timeframe."
"That takes too much timeframe."

Yet.

JL



On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 3:04 PM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Why (some) people use dictionaries: "time frame" or
>               "timeframe"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Or, more concisely, just "time"!
>
> We once discussed here how "record" has gotten (pointlessly) stretched
> into "track record."
>
> --Charlie
>
> ________________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of
> Jonathan Lighter [wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 1:43 PM
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Perhaps Ben covered this. Over the weekend _All Things Considered_
> interviewed the first CIA employee to admit she was a lesbian. That was
> thirty years ago. She said, "The '80s were  a very difficult timeframe."
>
> Meaning "period of time."
>
> JL
>
> On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 1:26 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <
> adsgarsonotoole at gmail.co=
> m
> > wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Why (some) people use dictionaries: "time frame" or
> > "timeframe"
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> ------
> >
> > Ben Zimmer's well-written and illuminating article in the New York
> > Times included the following comment from Kory Stamper, an associate
> > editor at Merriam-Webster. (She presents entertaining and worthwhile
> > video commentary at the website, too.)
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > This view of The Dictionary as the ultimate arbiter of our shared
> > language is one that dictionary editors themselves are quick to
> > disown. "Lexicographers do not sit in sleek conference rooms and make
> > your language," Ms. Stamper wrote on her blog. "That=92s what you - the
> > reading, writing, speaking public - do. Language is democratic, not
> > oligarchic. That=92s where the real glamour is."
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Perhaps the words "dictionary" and "lexicographer" are themselves
> > subject to these processes. It seems possible that a word like
> > "dictionary" may have different meanings in different communities of
> > speakers. Here is an example:
> >
> > Comments at the Merriam-Webster website under the entry for the word:
> tim=
> e
> > frame
> >
> > http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20frame
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> >
> > Kymberli Janek =B7 California State University, Chico
> > I was looking up the word to see if it was spelled as one word or two?
> > May 10, 2011 at 7:13am
> >
> > Alejandro Perez =B7 Phoenix School of Law
> > it seems to be a mystery as to whether it is one word or two. Ugh.
> > Last minute editing. :-)
> > October 29, 2011 at 11:27am
> >
> > June Jones =B7 Liberty University
> > I was trying to find out if it is one word or two.
> > May 25, 2011 at 8:50am
> >
> > Lynn Matthews =B7 Uh, a lot of work at CH2M HILL
> > Folks, if it's not in the dictionary, it's not a word. I was looking
> > for the same thing, but found my answer.
> > December 21, 2011 at 5:34pm
> >
> >
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
>
> --=20
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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