A skunked term is a word that becomes difficult to use because it is evolving from one meaning to another, perhaps inconsistent or even opposite, usage,[1] or a word that becomes difficult to use due to other controversy surrounding the word.[2]Purists may insist on the old usage, while descriptivists may be more open to newer usages. Readers may not know which sense is meant especially when prescriptivists insist on a meaning that accords with interests that often conflict.
Humbled originally meant "brought low" but is often used to mean "honored".[5]
Inflammable means "prone to catching fire", but is sometimes wrongly used[citation needed] to mean "not flammable" due to the fact that the English prefix in- usually suggests "not". Due to potential dangers of the word confusion, inflammable has seen a decrease in usage in the last decades, while the word nonflammable is used instead to mean "not flammable".[6]
"It's all downhill from here" originally meant to become easier but is widely used to mean becoming worse or more difficult.[7]
Literally is widely used with metaphorical language for emphasis.[8]
A moot point in British English has historically meant a point that is worth debating, but the meaning is shifting towards that in US English of a point that is irrelevant or academic.[9]
A "steep learning curve" was used in psychology from the 1920s to describe the quick and easy acquisition of skill; it was adopted more widely in the 1970s with the opposite meaning, describing a difficult and arduous process.[10]
Other termsedit
Biweekly has come to mean either "occurring every two weeks" or "occurring twice a week". The same ambiguity exists for the word bimonthly.[11][12]
Data, and media have come to ambiguously describe both singular and plural entities, with the singular forms datum and medium declining in use.[13]
Disinterested is widely used to mean "uninterested" whereas the primary meaning is "unbiased".[14]
The words faggot and fag have had various meanings in British English (such as a faggot being a meat dish or a bundle of sticks, and a fag being a cigarette)[15] but these have largely been overshadowed[failed verification] by the American use of these terms as a homophobic slur.[16]
Hopefully used to mean "in a hopeful manner" but has come to mean "it is hoped" since the early 1960s.[3][17][18]
Niggardly means "miserly" or "parsimonious", but is rarely used in modern English because it is easily confused with the slur nigger, despite their separate etymologies.[19]
Oriental originally referred to anything associated with the east or orient, including the Middle East, and including people. More recently, the term has come to refer to East Asia exclusively, and use of the word to describe people has become offensive.[13]
Referencesedit
^Bryan A. Garner, Garner's Modern American Usage, 2009, p. 306f
^ abBen Yagoda, How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them, ISBN1594488487, 2013, p. 82 and passim.
^ abBrenner, Erin (13 March 2014). "The Politics of Writing: Should You Use Skunked Terms?". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^Brenner, Erin (22 February 2012). "The Story Behind "Fulsome"". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^Baggini, Julian (18 May 2013). "'I feel so humble' – the common cry of heroes and villains". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^"Flammable vs. Inflammable". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
^"BE (ALL) DOWNHILL | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary". Dictionary.cambridge.org. 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
^Hawkes, Steve (13 August 2013). "Uproar as OED includes erroneous use of 'literally'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^Marsh, David (16 January 2015). "The meaning of 'moot' is a moot point – whichever variety of English you speak | Mind your language". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
^Zimmer, Ben (February 8, 2013). "A "Steep Learning Curve" for "Downton Abbey"". Word Routes. Vocabulary.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
^"Definition of BIWEEKLY". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
^"You Know What's BS!? The Word Bimonthly". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
^ abPerlman, Merrill (20 October 2014). "How common descriptors fall out of favor". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^" "Disinterested definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary".
^"faggot (noun)". Collins Dictionary. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^Prynne, Miranda (1 November 2013). "Man banned from Facebook for liking faggots". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^Liberman, Mark. "The H-word". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^Beaujon, Andrew (19 April 2012). "Hopefully, this is the last we'll write about 'hopefully'". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
^"Opinion | In a Word". The New York Times. 1999-01-30. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
December 15, 2023
skunked, term, skunked, term, word, that, becomes, difficult, because, evolving, from, meaning, another, perhaps, inconsistent, even, opposite, usage, word, that, becomes, difficult, other, controversy, surrounding, word, purists, insist, usage, while, descrip. A skunked term is a word that becomes difficult to use because it is evolving from one meaning to another perhaps inconsistent or even opposite usage 1 or a word that becomes difficult to use due to other controversy surrounding the word 2 Purists may insist on the old usage while descriptivists may be more open to newer usages Readers may not know which sense is meant especially when prescriptivists insist on a meaning that accords with interests that often conflict The term was coined by the lexicographer Bryan A Garner in Garner s Modern American Usage and has since been adopted by some other style guides 2 Contents 1 Usage 2 Examples 2 1 Terms with opposite meanings 2 2 Other terms 3 ReferencesUsage editGarner recommends avoiding such terms if their use may distract readers from the intended meaning of a text 3 Some terms such as fulsome may become skunked and then eventually revert to their original meaning over time 4 Examples editTerms with opposite meanings edit See also Contronym Humbled originally meant brought low but is often used to mean honored 5 Inflammable means prone to catching fire but is sometimes wrongly used citation needed to mean not flammable due to the fact that the English prefix in usually suggests not Due to potential dangers of the word confusion inflammable has seen a decrease in usage in the last decades while the word nonflammable is used instead to mean not flammable 6 It s all downhill from here originally meant to become easier but is widely used to mean becoming worse or more difficult 7 Literally is widely used with metaphorical language for emphasis 8 A moot point in British English has historically meant a point that is worth debating but the meaning is shifting towards that in US English of a point that is irrelevant or academic 9 A steep learning curve was used in psychology from the 1920s to describe the quick and easy acquisition of skill it was adopted more widely in the 1970s with the opposite meaning describing a difficult and arduous process 10 Other terms edit Biweekly has come to mean either occurring every two weeks or occurring twice a week The same ambiguity exists for the word bimonthly 11 12 Data and media have come to ambiguously describe both singular and plural entities with the singular forms datum and medium declining in use 13 Disinterested is widely used to mean uninterested whereas the primary meaning is unbiased 14 The words faggot and fag have had various meanings in British English such as a faggot being a meat dish or a bundle of sticks and a fag being a cigarette 15 but these have largely been overshadowed failed verification by the American use of these terms as a homophobic slur 16 Hopefully used to mean in a hopeful manner but has come to mean it is hoped since the early 1960s 3 17 18 Niggardly means miserly or parsimonious but is rarely used in modern English because it is easily confused with the slur nigger despite their separate etymologies 19 Oriental originally referred to anything associated with the east or orient including the Middle East and including people More recently the term has come to refer to East Asia exclusively and use of the word to describe people has become offensive 13 References edit Bryan A Garner Garner s Modern American Usage 2009 p 306f a b Ben Yagoda How to Not Write Bad The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them ISBN 1594488487 2013 p 82 and passim a b Brenner Erin 13 March 2014 The Politics of Writing Should You Use Skunked Terms Retrieved 6 September 2015 Brenner Erin 22 February 2012 The Story Behind Fulsome Retrieved 6 September 2015 Baggini Julian 18 May 2013 I feel so humble the common cry of heroes and villains The Guardian Retrieved 1 April 2022 Flammable vs Inflammable www merriam webster com Retrieved 2023 06 30 BE ALL DOWNHILL definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary Dictionary cambridge org 2022 05 25 Retrieved 2022 05 31 Hawkes Steve 13 August 2013 Uproar as OED includes erroneous use of literally The Telegraph Retrieved 6 September 2015 Marsh David 16 January 2015 The meaning of moot is a moot point whichever variety of English you speak Mind your language The Guardian Retrieved 2018 07 27 Zimmer Ben February 8 2013 A Steep Learning Curve for Downton Abbey Word Routes Vocabulary com Retrieved April 6 2023 Definition of BIWEEKLY www merriam webster com Retrieved 2021 02 14 You Know What s BS The Word Bimonthly www youtube com Retrieved 2021 04 16 a b Perlman Merrill 20 October 2014 How common descriptors fall out of favor Retrieved 6 September 2015 Disinterested definition and meaning Collins English Dictionary faggot noun Collins Dictionary Retrieved 5 December 2023 Prynne Miranda 1 November 2013 Man banned from Facebook for liking faggots The Telegraph Retrieved 5 December 2023 Liberman Mark The H word Retrieved 6 September 2015 Beaujon Andrew 19 April 2012 Hopefully this is the last we ll write about hopefully Retrieved 6 September 2015 Opinion In a Word The New York Times 1999 01 30 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2020 07 12 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Skunked term amp oldid 1188939357, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
