Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-l] dealing with the media +- evolution



At 03:20 PM 4/6/2008, Cliff, you wrote:

> The hazards of trying to be pedantic without having a dictionary at your
> elbow.
>
> Hugh

Pedantic... now where is my dictionary?

Cliff

Quite! A word that has come on hard times.
Beginning with the innocuous "boy-guide" construction in Greek
(pedagogue) - now understood to be archaic or derogatory,
the concept has been comminuted to "One who overrates or
parades book-learning" (pedant).

Only the declarative noun form for "The science of teaching"
(pedagogy) seems to have escaped the slur.

Disappointing that "meant to instruct" (didactic) is headed in the
same general direction.

[Definitions from COD]


Brian Whatcott Altus OK Eureka!