Re: Dictionary
I have two things I want to throw into the pot on this thread. First, IA good question, and one that doesn't get asked enough about "standard" reference books. It's basically a matter of confidence: how much do you trust the people who wrote the thing? Remember, they're not oracles or high priests passing down some platonic ideal of correct usage. They're language wonks, who go out and compile the way people are using words. Then they impose value judgments about what uses are "formal", "informal", "vulgar", etc. Lots of judgment calls to makes, all of which are subject to complaints about being too old-fashioned, illiterate, "politically correct", "indecent", etc.
really did not know there were dictionary "camps." If that is the case,
I suppose I belong to the camp that doesn't give, no, doesn't care.
Second, the only thing I can think of that would make the dictionary
John posted, questionable(?), is that the binding might be weaker or
less quality paper. I cannot imagine that the content would be any
different than the non-B&N edition. So, what's the beef?
Like you, I'm not a partisan of any particular dictionary -- but I'm a *militant* non-partisan. There's a few good ones, a lot of bad ones, but none of them are the Voice of God. And I have little patience with people who treat dictionaries, or any other reference books, with religious awe.
I have to mention one trivial fact that has bothered me for a long time. Every dictionary I've looked in insists that the nautical term "starboard" comes from an old usage, "steering board". (Before the rudder was invented, ships were steered by oars, most often a single oar on the right side of the ship.) Which isn't logical -- in all related terms "board" means "side" not "piece of wood". (Inboard, outboard, overboard, freeboard, to board; they used to say "larboard," but it was easy to misunderstand on a noisy steam vessel, so now they say "port".) I feel an urge to do something, but what? I don't have the background to document my views, and even if I did, this "fact" is to well-established to expunge.
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