[Ads-l] annals of acronymic etymythology

[Barretts Mail]

To be fair, it seems that Google is a dictionary. Ask “what is the definition of X” for some word and Google produces a definition that appears to be from Google. BB

> On 2 Aug 2018, at 09:44, David Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET> wrote:
> 
> Unscientific data point:
> 
> When I discuss dictionaries with my students (mostly first or second-year
> university students), I always ask what dictionary they use. The answer,
> almost universal, is "Google." Most are unaware that online dictionaries
> exist.
> 
> At most, there are only one or two say "Merriam-Webster" or "the OED" (by
> which they mean oxforddictionaries.com).
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Jesse Sheidlower
> Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2018 10:16 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: [ADS-L] annals of acronymic etymythology
> 
> As Larry and Ben say elsethread, the use of dictionaries has not declined
> for this purpose. However, I don't think this matters anyway: people
> generally dismiss what dictionaries say when they look up entries like this.
> If the etymology is given as "unknown" or something less interesting than
> the purported acronymic origin (which is pretty much a given), people will
> assume that the dictionary is either wrong or ignorant. This is similar to
> usage issues: whatever authority the person decides to accept, whether their
> grade-school teacher or some guy on the Internet, is given more weight than
> the dictionary.
> 
> Jesse Sheidlower
> 
> On Thu, Aug 02, 2018 at 02:42:31PM +0000, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>> Here's an interesting question:  Etymythology has been a very strong
> phenomenon for centuries.  Even etymological scholars have long been
> attracted to colorful, unfounded etymological theories.  But now, in a
> society where right-wing media and even the President of the United States
> are mounting an enormous assault on concepts of education, science,
> accuracy, truth, etc., is etymythology growing in popularity?  I am not
> asserting that it is growing in popularity, but it seems logical that it
> would in the aforementioned environment.  Another factor that might
> contribute to such growth is the decline in use of dictionaries.
>> 
>> Fred Shapiro
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of 
>> Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
>> Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2018 9:47 AM
>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>> Subject: annals of acronymic etymythology
>> 
>> For The Atlantic, I take a look at the latest bogus etymology meme to 
>> sweep the Internet, asserting that "tag" (the game) stands for "touch and
> go."
>> 
>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t
>> heatlantic.com%2Fentertainment%2Farchive%2F2018%2F08%2Fthat-meme-youre
>> -sharing-is-probably-bogus%2F566582%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cfred.shapiro
>> %40yale.edu%7Cb0c8396dc2e94aa6d38508d5f87e7570%7Cdd8cbebb21394df8b4114
>> e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C636688144378969865&sdata=4k1VlDG9Gm00gLRNApC
>> w607Zsr16YXnWRIrn7lAgk6c%3D&reserved=0
>> 
>> I'm hoping that if I keep repeating Larry Horn's term "etymythology" 
>> it'll get some traction. Douglas Harper of the Online Etymology 
>> Dictionary chips in with his own blend, "acronymphomania."
>> 
>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.e
>> tymonline.com%2Fcolumns%2Fpost%2Facronymphomania&data=02%7C01%7Cfr
>> ed.shapiro%40yale.edu%7Cb0c8396dc2e94aa6d38508d5f87e7570%7Cdd8cbebb213
>> 94df8b4114e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C636688144378969865&sdata=usY8Ss9Mx
>> i0W0uAblgKackAxDeYjbU25re5pSYR22OM%3D&reserved=0
>> 
>> --bgz
>> 
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