> --snip
>
> Well, actually, "Hoi polloi" means "the numerous ones", "the mass" - as
> opposed to what has (erroneously) become the meaning in English nowadays:
> "the few", "the elite".
>
> Bernard
As a long time speaker of English, well American English, I've always
known "Hoi Polloi" meant the masses, often used in a derogatory sense as
in the "unwashed masses". I've never heard it used to mean the "elite".
If you need an example of truely erroneous usage try "quantum leap".
This is most often used to mean a major increase or change. In reality
a quantum is the smallest unit of energy there is. Literally the energy
necessary for an electron to move from one orbital to another in an
atom. There is no smaller measurable unit of energy. Hence a "quantum
leap" should be an infinitessimal change.
Jerry Liles
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|