

The real meaning of decimation - mtkd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_%28Roman_army%29

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RiderOfGiraffes
It used to be that "momentarily" mean "for a moment" but now it's used to mean
"in a moment" as well.

It used to be that "oblige" and "obligate" were treated differently, but now
the former is almost completely unknown.

It used to be that the "silly" meant "carefree" or "young and innocent."

It used to be that "nice" meant "exact" or "precise."

It used to be that "literally" meant "really, really truly" but now it's just
used for emphasis.

It used to be that people knew the word "pedantry" but now they seem to use
"pedanticism."

Given the predominence in written language for confusion between "there,"
"they're" and "their," will the written distinction eventually vanish?

Call me a pedant, but I think some of these changes genuinely impoverish the
language. But languages change, have always changed, and will always change,
until they're dead.

~~~
jacobolus
Your core point is correct but your examples are pretty weak/wrong.

Momentarily has meant “in a moment” since the late 19th century. Sometimes
(more commonly a couple hundred years ago) the word also means “at the current
moment.”

“Oblige” and “obligate” still have different sets of connotations, but I
really don’t think your case is very strong here, since their main overlapping
senses, in which they’re roughly interchangeable, have been in common use for
several centuries, perhaps since the words first arose. The word “oblige” is
still extremely common, in my experience more common than “obligate” for this
use.

“Silly” originally meant “pitiful” (in the modern sense; “pitiful” originally
meant “full of pity for others”). From there, it transformed into meaning
“unsophisticated” and then “feeble-minded” or “foolish.” The OED doesn’t have
it ever meaning anything close to “young and innocent.”

“Nice” has had a very complex set of evolved meanings. It began meaning
“foolish” or “ignorant”, but in the past 500 years has meant at various points
“lascivious,” “ostentatious,” “elegant,” “fussy,” “refined,” “respectable,”
“virtuous,” “appropriate,” “effeminate,” “lazy,” “fragile,” “modest,” “shy,”
“intricate,” “subtle,” “precise,” “slim,” “trivial,” “dextrous,” “doubtful,”
“tasty,” “pleasant,” “attractive,” “friendly,” &c.

> _used to be that people knew the word "pedantry"_

First, “people” _do_ know the word “pedantry”. Second, you realize that the
“now” that we use “pedanticism” is since about 1850, right? “Pedantry” is
still vastly more common. Compare:
<http://www.google.com/search?q=%2Bpedantry>
<http://www.google.com/search?q=%2Bpedanticism>

> _"literally"_ [ _is_ ] _just used for emphasis._

Not in any kind of careful writing, unless for ironic effect. People still
know what “literally” means.

> _will the written distinction_ [ _between “there,” “they’re” and “their,”_ ]
> _eventually vanish?_

Not any time soon?

~~~
RiderOfGiraffes
Examples have never been my strong point, but even so, I suggest that more
people use "pedanticism" than "pedantry," and I have rarely heard "literally"
used in anything other manner than for emphasis.

But I suspect we are more in agreement than otherwise.

EDIT: Recently found:

<http://literally.barelyfitz.com/>

[http://gizmodo.com/5422405/this-robot-jedi-will-literally-
bl...](http://gizmodo.com/5422405/this-robot-jedi-will-literally-blow-your-
mind)

<http://www.slate.com/id/2129105/>

~~~
jacobolus
> _more people use "pedanticism" than "pedantry,"_

Maybe this is a difference of geography? I’m from California and go to school
in Boston, and I don’t know anyone who uses “pedanticism.”

Anyway, I concede that literally is often used as an intensifier, even non-
ironically. I like the end of that Slate article:

> _The one sensible criticism that can be made about the intensive use of
> literally is that it can often lead to confusing or silly-sounding results.
> In this case, the answer is simple: Don't write silly-soundingly. Some usage
> books even bother to make this point about literally. Then again, most usage
> advice could be reduced to one simple instruction: "Be clear." But that
> would be the end of a publishing category._

------
makmanalp
The "deci" prefix should ring a bell here.

