"infamous" = celebrated

[Joel S. Berson]

There is "the famous infamous Tom Bell".

Perhaps the intended notion of the reference to the Ig Nobels was
"infamous science" (a prize for)?

Joel

At 3/14/2006 09:31 AM, you wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
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>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>Subject:      Re: "infamous" = celebrated
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>How, ye of little faith, explain ye this ?:
>
>   "To mark National Science Week, past winners of the most infamous
> prize in academia are touring the country to explain, among other
> things, the logic of making locusts watch repeated highlights of
> Star Wars and how ostriches fancy humans."
>
>   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4801670.stm  (Today's BBC News.)
>
>   No, not the bugs and birds; I mean how do you explain "infamous"
> if not as a synonym for the now soooooo-boring "famous" ?  (Earlier
> discussion addressed the possibility that this "infamous" might
> only apply to celebrities or media things.)
>
>   The transformation appears to be complete. Let the Kaos begin !
>
>   JL
>
>
>
>
>
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