[Lexicog] arguably

[Allan Johnson]

Yeah, it strikes me the same way when I hear it used.  When a
statement is qualified as "arguably", it seems to let the air out of
its credibility.  It's a pretty new word to me too, so I'm probably
out of touch with how people are using it back home - but it strikes
me that if the word "arguably" is needed to make a claim accurate, it
might be better said by backing off on the claim in the first place.
Maybe just say:

"Chomsky is *one of* the greatest linguists who has every lived."

Or would that still be an arguable statement?  Maybe try:

"Chomsky has been one of the leading linguistic theoreticians of this
century."

Some of his theories haven't panned out, but one thing I can say for
him is that he seems to be an honest scientist, willing to make a bold
hypothesis and then regroup and try again when the evidence stacks up
against it.

Allan J


----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Leman" <wayne_leman at sil.org>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 4:35 AM
Subject: [Lexicog] arguably


Could someone on the list help me understand the word "arguably"? I
hear it
used a lot. I think I understand what it means. I've read its
dictionary
meanings. I didn't grow up hearing or using it. Is there some "hook"
to
remember what it means. My brain has gotten it backwards, I think,
where it
seems to me that "unarguably" would make more sense instead of saying
"arguably." If we have to argue over something it's not clear to
everyone.

"Chomsky is arguably the greatest linguist who has every lived."

Well, of course, we can quibble over the claim of that sentence, but
how can
I get it into my head what "arguably" means there?

Thanks,
Wayne Leman



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