[Ads-l] Can "desegregate" be intransitive?

Joel Berson berson at ATT.NET
Mon Mar 21 14:42:11 UTC 2016


OED3 says for "integrate" 2.b., "To bring (racially or culturally differentiated peoples) into equal membership of a society or system; to cease to segregate (racially)," and goes on to allow "Also intr., to become integrated," with three intransitive (I think!) examples in the 1960's.

However, for "desegregate" it only has "transitive": "trans. To reunite (persons, classes, races, etc.) hitherto segregated; esp. (orig. U.S.) to abolish racial segregation in schools and other institutions."

Why not "Also intr., to become desegregated"?  Because the minions have not yet found an example?

Joel


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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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