Despite Allen E's declaration that this thread, with its unlikely subject header, has reached its "sell-by-date" (that's "best by" to Canucks), I can't restrain myself here.
I had asserted that the word "verbiage" used by Michael Smith to describe certain TIPS posters carried an insulting connotation. Mike rashly denied this, arguing > I disagree. I don't see the word verbiage to be an insult. It means an > over-abundance of words. True. But it means more than that. The magisterial Oxford English Dictionary (the OED) says, as part of its brief definition of "verbiage, "Wording...without necessity or without much meaning". That's an insult in my book (well, ok in the OED's book). Lesser lights concur. World English Dictionary verbiage - n 1. The...often meaningless use of words Computing Dictionary verbiage definition This term borrows the connotations of mainstream "verbiage" to suggest that the documentation is of marginal utility and that the motives behind its production have little to do with the ostensible subject. The Oxford Dictionary (another one, I guess) A profusion of words usually of little or obscure content Collins English Dictionary 1. the excessive and often meaningless use of words And finally, my wife agrees with me, so I must be right. So, Mike, I'm willing to admit that some of my posts may be too long if you admit that yours are verbiage. Stephen -------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada e-mail: sblack at ubishops.ca --------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=6697 or send a blank email to leave-6697-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
