"infamous" = famous

[Dennis R. Preston]

larry,

Is "notorious" also a hyponym of "famous", or does it reach up to
synonym status?

dInIs



>At 5:13 PM -0800 2/19/05, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>Becoming endemic but not in OED, "infamous" as "well-known; famous" :
>
>I've noticed this amelioration for awhile, but I don't think it's as
>simple as Jon's equivalence above, or at least not yet--it's more
>like "famous in a pop-cultural domain" or "famous (only) for being
>famous".  Or at least that's the way I've often seen it.  So it can
>be the "infamous Paris Hilton" or (slightly less likely) "the
>infamous Brad Pitt" but much less likely "the infamous Mahatma
>Gandhi", no matter how famous and well-known he was.  Let's google
>them...
>
>"infamous Brad Pitt"  116
>"infamous Mahatma Gandhi" 0
>
>Of course, context is a problem--"infamous Paris Hilton" picks up
>5690, but mostly of the form "the infamous Paris Hilton sex tapes" or
>the like.  Still, I think the distinction is real:  "infamous" is
>still a hyponym of "famous", rather than a synonym, although its
>territory has expanded.
>
>larry
>
>>
>>http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0700world/tm_objectid=15204502&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=futuristic-makeover-for-bugs-bunny-and-co-name_page.html
>>
>>"Carrot-chomping Bugs Bunny is joined by animated favourites Daffy
>>Duck, Wile E Coyote, the Tasmanian Devil, Road Runner and Lola Bunny.
>>
>>"However, hardcore fans are in for a shock - the trademark
>>characteristics will be gone, as will their infamous names.
>>
>>"Bugs is set to be renamed Buzz Bunny, while Daffy Duck will sport a
>>built-in sonar."
>>
>>"Futuristic makeover for Bugs Bunny and Co," icWales, the national
>>website of Wales,(
>>Feb. 18, 2005.
>>
>>(The story reported is itself worthy of infamy  - in the old sense.)
>>
>>JL


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages
A-740 Wells Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-3099
Fax: (517) 432-2736
preston at msu.edu