From: adam@irvine.com (Adam Beneschan)
Subject: Re: Q: access to subprogram
Date: 1996/07/17
Date: 1996-07-17T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <4sj7so$boc@krusty.irvine.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: dewar.837456126@schonberg
In article <dewar.837456126@schonberg> dewar@cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar) writes:
>Fergus wrote
>
>"Well, there's still going to be a lot of Pentiums out there for quite
>some time -- I wouldn't call the issue entirely moot yet."
>
>moot means arguable and not yet decided -- I would say that's EXACTLY
>the right description here.
>
>Richard was saying that at this stage, the issue will probably stay
>arguable and undecided, which seems a reasonable assessment.
>
>(I suspect you meant MOOT as in "doesn't matter any more", but that is not
>what the word means in traditional usage, although I agree this US usage
>is (unfortunately) getting very common)
_Webster's Ninth New Collegiate_ (Merriam-Webster, 1984):
[3]moot adj. 1 a: open to question: DEBATABLE b: subjected to
discussion: DISPUTED 2: deprived of practical significance: made
abstract or purely academic
So the "doesn't matter any more" meaning is a legitimate meaning.
_Dictionary or Problem Words and Expressions_, by Harry Shaw
(McGraw-Hill, 1975):
This word when used as an adjective means (1) subject to debate,
arguable, unresolved; and (2) of only slight importance or
significance: "This is a _moot_ question." "Whether the player
is black or white is a _moot_ consideration." That is, a
"_moot_ question" is debatable; "a _moot_ point" is of no
importance. . . .
So according to this, both meanings of "moot" are correct, and which
meaning is the correct one depends on what it applies to---i.e.
whether it's a Question or a Point you're saying is moot. Whether
an Issue is more like a Question or a Point is---well, a moot issue.
(Heh heh heh.)
-- Adam
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1996-07-17 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 133+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
1996-07-02 0:00 Q: access to subprogram tmoran
1996-07-02 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-02 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Adam Beneschan
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Thomas Wolff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Mark A Biggar
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-06 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-12 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-14 0:00 ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Thomas Wolff
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Thomas Wolff
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-03 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-19 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-22 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-23 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-23 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-28 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-22 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-23 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-24 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Ken Garlington
1996-07-30 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-24 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-30 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-24 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-28 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-29 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-29 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-28 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-29 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-30 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-05 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-06 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-06 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-19 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-07-06 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Mark Eichin
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Ronald Cole
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-07 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-14 0:00 ` Ronald Cole
1996-07-14 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-17 0:00 ` Adam Beneschan [this message]
1996-07-17 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-17 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-20 0:00 ` Michael Feldman
1996-07-20 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-16 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-08 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Norman H. Cohen
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Magnus Kempe
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-10 0:00 ` Ronald Cole
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Mark A Biggar
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Tucker Taft
1996-07-17 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-12 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-12 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-12 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-16 0:00 ` Magnus Kempe
1996-07-14 0:00 ` Ronald Cole
1996-07-14 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-07-16 0:00 ` Brian Rogoff
1996-07-24 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1996-07-25 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-25 0:00 ` David Kristola
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-30 0:00 ` David Kristola
1996-07-30 0:00 ` Thomas Wolff
1996-07-30 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-26 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-28 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-28 0:00 ` Fergus Henderson
1996-07-25 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1996-07-05 0:00 tmoran
1996-07-06 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-07-15 0:00 tmoran
1996-07-15 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
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