(no subject)

[deckardcanine]

Years ago I learned the term "Janus word," which refers to a word with two contradictory, if not exact opposite, definitions. The one example provided in that source was "bad," counting the slang meaning. Unfortunately, I could think of no second example offhand, with the possible exception of "inflammable," tho I'm not sure how often it gets misused for "nonflammable." Thinking that the term was so seldom applicable as to be useful only in anglophilic trivia, I did not bother to engage in further research. I did, however, hope to discover examples by chance now and then.

For years, no such luck. Then it happened in the last month or two -- twice.

The first time was when I read a chapter of Richard Lederer's A Man of My Words dealing with differences between British and American English. Lederer reports an incident at a WWII conference in which Brits and Americans came into severe conflict until they realized that they had opposite interpretations of "tabling" a discussion. (I find myself preferring American language about 75% of the time. This is one case where I think Brits make more sense.)

The second case has more debatable legitimacy. I was confused by an author's use of "nonplussed," so I looked it up and discovered that my understanding was at odds with the traditional definition. But I was far from alone: The New York Times and ESPN, among other sources, have used it to mean "unimpressed" or "indifferent" instead of "completely perplexed." I suspect that in a couple decades, dictionaries will recognize both, much as they've come grudgingly to accept "flaunt" as a synonym for "flout."

Comments

[recursivepizza.livejournal.com]

"Cleave" is another one.

[ceruleanst.livejournal.com]

"Belie" is a word that I believe has already gone the way of "nonplussed". It looks like it must mean "misrepresent", and the legitimization of this perception has made the word completely useless, because any sentence I could use it in can be taken the exact opposite way. "Her posture belied her true emotions." "The accent of his speech belied his social standing." Revealed, or concealed? Nobody knows!

I expect "nonplussed" and its synonym "bemused" to have additional dictionary meanings within ten years. I won't be happy about it.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, says that "belie" can mean "to give a false impression of," "to present an appearance not in agreement with," "to show (something) to be false or wrong," "contradict," or "disguise." No other definitions are listed, and the American Heritage Dictionary online offers nothing more. So "misrepresent" is actually more legitimate. In any event, it's amazing how a word that's been in use in English about since the Norman Conquest should become useless only in the last few decades.

One of the raccoons in Gene Catlow's world is named Bemused. I wonder which meaning was intended there.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Indeed. And a website has pointed out to me that "fast" is another: something held fast isn't going anywhere fast.

[ruediix.livejournal.com]

Funny, simplistic, ideal, genius, serious, "Einstein"

(Interestingly calling someone Einstein as an insult is not sarcastic. It's refering to the fact that Einstein was famous for both disorderly conduct and "brain farts.")

Are you going to make a game out of this, because I could go all day.

[ruediix.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Fast can mean "slutty"

[ruediix.livejournal.com]

How about a "smashing good time" or to confuse matters "a smashing football riot"