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Re: cross section vs cross-sectional - what about cross sectioned andcross sectioning
Subject:Re: cross section vs cross-sectional - what about cross sectioned andcross sectioning From:Robert Lauriston <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:56:01 -0800
When my instincts and 1970s-vintage dictionaries say one thing and an
online dictionary says another, I sometimes use Google to see who's
using it in what context.
Google is authoritative as to actual usage by all kinds of writers,
though Google Books and Google Scholar often give different results
than basic Google Web search.
On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 10:37 AM, Combs, Richard
<richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com> wrote:
> So you're saying that Google hits are more authoritative than
> Merriam-Webster? That jargon and informal speech are more likely to be
> in one of our foremost mainstream dictionaries than in the sum total of
> all web pages? Really? :-)
>
> As I said, though, I'd look for a more elegant way to say whatever
> needed to be said. So I'm in violent agreement with you on that. ;-)
>
> Robert Lauriston wrote:
>> Looking at Google hits, I don't believe "cross-section" has
>> established itself as a verb outside of jargon and informal speech, so
>> I would not use it in writing intended for publication. To me it looks
>> semi-literate.
>>
>> You can find a lot of dubious jargon and neologisms in online
>> dictionaries.
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