This is why we dont have cool things any more… we make up our own knowledge just because it seems to fit
Acronyms didn’t become popular until fairly recently, so if the word is at least a century old, odds are that it isn’t an acronym.
That’s what I thought when I was a kid but I was told I was wrong!
But when I take a brake, doesn’t that mean I’m stopping work, hitting the brakes?
When I diffuse a situation, doesn’t that mean I’m thinning out the tension or whatever?
People make up whatever reason they need to avoid going to a dictionary to understand what they’re writing.
(It’s break and defuse, in case anyone was wondering. The first doesn’t need explanation, but defuse is because you want to cut the fuse off from the thing that’s going to blow up, the thing being the situation)
NORTH EAST WEST SOUTH
At least that’s what they taught us in journalism school
Actually it’s Never Eat While Shitting
NORTH EAST WEST SOUTH
all in the same house
Dammit. Now I need to listen to some Escape Club
From the Etymonline website:
news (n.) late 14c., “new things,” plural of new (n.) “new thing” (see new (adj.)); after French nouvelles, which was used in Bible translations to render Medieval Latin nova (neuter plural) “news,” literally “new things.”
The English word was construed as singular at least from the 1560s, but it sometimes still was regarded as plural 17c.-19c. The odd and doubtful construction probably accounts for the absurd folk-etymology (attested by 1640 but originally, and in 18c. usually, in jest-books) that claims it to be an abbreviation of north east south west, as though “information from all quarters of the compass.”
The meaning “tidings, intelligence of something that has lately taken place” is from early 15c. The meaning “radio or television program presenting current events” is from 1923. Bad news in the extended sense of “unpleasant person or situation” is from 1926. Expression no news, good news can be traced to 1640s. Expression news to me “something I did not know” is from 1889.
Lol, imagine if “sports” was part of the origin story of news as a concept.
I take issue with sports being in headline news practically every day, or multiple days per week at least.
I have nothing against people enjoying sports, but it’s a hobby like any other, which I think is unreasonably thrust upon everyone else.
Where is the eSports news, or competitive dancing, woodworking news, or as I’m sure we can all agree on Lemmy, what about my old electronic gadget of the week news?
When I had The Guardian app, it was quite annoying that sports was lumped in with the push notifications for actual news.
I’m just saying sports news ought to be opt-in like any other hobby.
I’m surprised. Merriam-Webster is usually the Urban Dictionary of print dictionaries. I’d have more expected them to change their definition because “muh common usage.”
Hacks. OED or death.
etymology has nothing to do with common usage.
also common usage is what defines words; that has nothing to do with MW. that’s how language works. i can’t believe there are still prescriptionists in this century.
I love that there are strong opinions like this out there for dictionaries.
You’ve convinced me. I’m ride or die for OED now too.
Hopefully you’re an “Oxford comma, ride or die”, too.
I do like that vampire weekend song.
