"infamous" = celebrated & day of infamy

[Joel S. Berson]

I was thinking that the various research papers honored by Ig Nobels
are being deemed sometimes disreputable, and of little to no
value.  Isn't that at least a little bad for a scientist?

By the way, Roosevelt actually said  "Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a
date which will live in infamy".  I think a well-chosen "date" and "which".

Joel

At 3/14/2006 04:44 PM, you wrote:
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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
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>I don't see either the research or the prize described in the
>article as fitting in any way  the customary senses of "infamous."
>
>    As the OED has it, "1. Of ill fame or repute; famed or notorious
> for badness of any kind; notoriously evil, wicked, or vile; held in
> infamy or public disgrace....
>
>   "2. Deserving of infamy; of shameful badness, vileness, or
> abominableness; of a character or quality deserving utter
> reprobation. (One of the strongest adjectives of detestation.)"
>
>   Horror Thought of the Day:  What do today's teens think FDR means
> when they hear him speak of "a day that will live in infamy" ?
>
>   Like, it's gonna be really famous ?
>
>   JL
>
>
>"Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET> wrote:
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>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: "Joel S. Berson"
>Subject: Re: "infamous" = celebrated
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>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
> >-----------------------
> >Sender: American Dialect Society
> >Poster: Jonathan Lighter
> >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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