Re: OT. Leyland and I slug it out over a matter of terminology Was Re: RSA encryption/decryption

From: Joe Peschel (jpeschel_at_no.spam.org)
Date: 09/22/05 

Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 04:18:43 -0000

Bryan Olson <fakeaddress@nowhere.org> wrote in
news:RJoYe.1369$OC2.257@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com:

> Joe Peschel wrote:
>> Bryan Olson wrote:
>>> The third definition of "elliptic" at dictionary.com reads:
>>>
>>> a. Of or relating to extreme economy of oral or written
>>> expression. b. Marked by deliberate obscurity of style or
>>> expression.
>>
>>
>> I suppose you can look around until you find a definition of elliptic
>> that you like.
>
> Or you can type "dictionary" into Google. The top three results will
> all search a word and provide dictionary definitions, and every single
> one of them will clue you in that 'elliptic' can mean unreasonably
> obscure.

No, what you need to is use the correct reference. In some cases, ordinary
dictionaries, or extraordinary dictionaries such as the OED are fine. In
other cases such as this one, a specialized reference is necessary. That
specialized reference is "Folwer's Modern English Usage."

>
>
>>>Under this definition, "Elliptic English" makes perfect sense.
>>
>> There is no such term of grammar as "Elliptic English." Bill made it
>> up.
>
> I can't really hold that against him, since I myself frequently
> modify nouns with adjectives. I don't think Bill was lecturing on
> grammar -- perhaps because so doing is so boring.

As soon Bill referred to "elliptic English," he was referring to grammar. I
don't think Bill was lecturing Bob; he was insulting him. You should also
re-read my comments on "elliptic English," "paronomastic English," and
"paraphrastic English."

>
> > See my previous comments on this neologism.
>
>> Bill still hasn't said which parts of Mxmanic's message use ellipsis.
>
> Nor has he identified which lemurs use hovercraft.

If Bill contends that Mxmanic's message uses ellipsis, despite your
thinking that it's irrelevant, he needs to point out, as I did in the
Fowler examples, where the technique is used.

J 

-- 
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Joe Peschel 
D.O.E. SysWorks                                 
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