Well-Used Words – No. 6: Must Good Usage Beg The Question? Article

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Well-Used Words – No. 6: Must Good Usage Beg The Question?

Meanings change. But is that a good thing or not? How do we know when to stick to the old or embrace the new? This article talks about one case of change that’s happing right now.

Author: Bill Moore

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Here’s a chance to choose between being right and being correct. And maybe even striking a blow for saving a useful bit of language from the careless, lazy, and ill-informed. In the last decade of the 20th century, people in various media began to use the phrase, to beg the question, to mean to ask the question as in The article begs the question: Where did all the money go?

Seems like somebody in proofing or editing should know that to beg the question is a specific type of logical fallacy used in argumentation. Begging the question is an argument in which a central point is already assume to be true. For example, Why is that activity illegal? Because if it weren’t illegal, then there wouldn’t be a law against them. So, to beg the question means to take for granted as true the very thing that-s being questioned.

Right-thinking people like you and me who prefer to keep to the traditional meaning criticize the new usage. We don’t use it and continue to hope that others will see the error (or fallacy) of their ways. But, we’re going to lose because it-s becoming so widely accepted that the original meaning has nearly disappeared in the mass media, and the new use has become accepted which, as we know, is only one short step from being correct.

However, precise usage, for writers who want to be accurate, still comes down on the side of the original meaning.

About Author

Bill Moore is the author of Write Rite Right. This compendium of homophones, homonyms, and frequently misapplied words is a necessary resource for anyone who writes for others to read. (Available on backoftheroom.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com) Bill works with businesses, focusing on organizational development and corporate training with emphasis on communications and product presentation. He helps his clients sharpen communication and selling skills and reach targeted audiences effectively. He’s a freelance trainer, researcher, and technical writer with over 30 years professional experience.
Visit his Website, http://www.WriteRiteRight.com for more information on words and writing. You can contact him personally at bill_moore@WriteRiteRight.com

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