Re: submarines and Norm

["Michael Stabin" <michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu>]

David wrote:



> A bit off topic, but what is wrong with either word?

> "Friends and colleagues", especially if of long standing, is the

definition

> of crony.  Perhaps it has been tainted by the concept of 'cronyism'?

> Ilk is an old Scottish word originally used as an third person inclusive,

> especially for the landed gentry: e.g. The MacNeill and his ilk.  Its

> current meaning is simply 'a group of similar thinking or acting persons.'



Good question. We have touched on an area of "denotation" vs. "connotation".

The latter is of course subjective, and open to interpretation. My

understanding of both words, in modern day English usage, carries a negative

connotation. My understanding could be wrong, I'm open to that. I don't

think we need to open a long thread on either word here. Mr. Cohen saw the

words as having a negative slant, and I agreed, as I share that

interpretation. I would suggest that it's prudent to choose our words

carefully (as they are read by the ~2000 list members plus outsiders who may

browse the archives) and simply stay away from words that may cause offense,

if there's doubt.



Mike



Michael G. Stabin, PhD, CHP

Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

Vanderbilt University

1161 21st Avenue South

Nashville, TN 37232-2675

Phone (615) 343-0068

Fax   (615) 322-3764

e-mail     michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu

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