factoid

[Laurence Horn]

On Nov 15, 2012, at 7:01 PM, Dave Wilton wrote:

> Urban dictionary has a decent breakdown of the senses that I've heard:
> http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=factoid
>
> In my experience, their sense #2 is the more common: "A fact that may or may
> not be true, but is trivial in nature."

Interesting.  Back in our old unsophisticated days we used to think that if it wasn't true, it wasn't a fact (however trivial it might (not) be.

LH
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> James Harbeck
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:11 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: factoid
>
> I had a debate today about the meaning of "factoid". I'm wondering whether
> my sense of what more or less everyone uses it to mean is in fact accurate.
> Tell me: what, in your world, does "factoid" mean?
>
> Thanks,
> James Harbeck.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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