----- Original Message ----- From: "William T Goodall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "BRIN-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 10:03 PM Subject: Re: Intellectual output from the Arab World
> on 3/10/02 2:00 am, Robert Seeberger at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >> We obviously use different definitions in the Old World. > >> > > > > Nope, you use more sophistry in the old world. > > Your definition of "anti-semite" is virtually the same as ours. > > Yet you *choose* to add definitions of other terms into the mix in order to > > justify your prejudices. > > It seems more likely you choose to remove them. > > > (Those prejudices are not necessarily anti-semitism BTW) > > You will notice that no one has brought forth a definition that defines > > "anti-semite" as a hater of middle eastern people. > > Why not use a different term then? > > > That is because the term "anti-semite" has a specific definition that is > > derived, not from dictionary use, but from language use over a very long > > period of time. > > You just dont see the term used in any other way. > > I already quoted a dictionary. You looked up Semite, not anti-Semitic. You also used the typical rules of English to deduce what anti-Semite was. Using the same type of rules, one would conclude that software was a category of merchandise that included fabrics and the like. Look up anti-Semitic, not Semite. Or, are you arguing that English is a language that doesn't have exceptions to the rules. I think that is a badder thing to do than assuming that there are many rule exceptions in English that are still part of the language. Just to prove my point, lets look at Webster's definition of Semite and anti-Semitism Semite: 1 a : a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs b : a descendant of these peoples 2 : a member of a modern people speaking a Semitic language This is consistent with what you quoted. But, the definition of anti-Semitism was not just a turning of the crank of the normal rules of English: anti-Semitism : hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group Which is what a number of us has said. So, I'd be interested to see definitions of anti-Semitism from the same dictionary you got your definition of Semite. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
