Fw: the Net

[Thomas M. Paikeday]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Thomas M. Paikeday 
To: American Dialect Society 
Cc: pheacock at cup.org 
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 12:38 AM
Subject: the Net


Hi Paul,

You were helpful recently in checking for evidence of the bilk/balk
difference. Since you or Cambridge U. P. has a database that is more helpful
to a lexicographer than Google (which is a disorderly ocean of words), do
you mind checking the noun "net" for relative frequency of usage of its
three main senses in current English?

There's "net," 2, as in "net income, result, worth," etc. Recently, i.e.,
during the past 15 years or so, "net" has come to mean computer network,
esp. as "the Net," short for the Internet. It is also a blending form as in
"Netatlas," "Netalyzer," "netiquette,"  etc.

My question: has this "net," 3, superseded the other meanings, esp. the
original, No. 1 meaning in frequency of occurrence in current English? What
meaning does "net" in isolation (without context) spring to the mind of the
average educated English user, esp. the younger generation? Do we have any
reliable evidence on this?

Any other databases you could suggest for this purpose?

Many thanks in anticipation to anyone at all with a tip.

TOM PAIKEDAY
www.paikeday.net