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From: adam@irvine.com (Adam Beneschan)
Subject: Re: Q: access to subprogram
Date: 1996/07/17
Message-ID: <4sj7so$boc@krusty.irvine.com>#1/1
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references: <4sbtc5$uej@news.nyu.edu> <4sdt1i$nqa@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>
 <dewar.837456126@schonberg>
organization: /z/news/newsctl/organization
newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Date: 1996-07-17T00:00:00+00:00
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>


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