Pedants' Paradise

[mikealdren]

I don't think the Roman legions would have approved of the new definition and usage!

[gurnemanz]

I remember decimation 50 years ago.

[Bryn]

I remember decimation 50 years ago.

[Sir Velo]

Just had a newsletter which contains the phrase, "a real tragedy for those whose lives are decimated by it". We're used to decimated meaning 'a large proportion of', even 'annihilated' (not a large proportion but all of them).

Presumably "devastated" is the word for which they struggled in vain for. A half decent sub editor would have sorted out that kind of careless malapropism before it came to print.

[french frank]

I remember decimation 50 years ago.

Reminds me of reading that a failing company had now been liquidised.

[Serial_Apologist]

Reminds me of reading that a failing company had now been liquidised.

If it had been merged it would first presumably have been put through a blender.

[LMcD]

If it had been merged it would first presumably have been put through a blender.

.. operated by some old smoothie, no doubt.

[kernelbogey]

.. operated by some old smoothie, no doubt.

Or a young whizz.

[Andrew]

I was under the impression that "decimation" was to reduce an item to a tenth of its previous size or amount. Mind you, I still wince when I hear a split infinitive..... I had a seriously tough English Language teacher at school! Come back Charlie Phelps, all is forgiven!

[french frank]

I was under the impression that "decimation" was to reduce an item to a tenth of its previous size or amount.

In fact it was to reduce by a tenth, not to a tenth, to execute every tenth man.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(punishment)

[Pabmusic]

In fact it was to reduce by a tenth, not to a tenth, to execute every tenth man.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(punishment)

Absolutely.

I don't think there's too big a problem using 'decimate' as long as you are meaning 'round about a tenth' or 'a small but significant proportion' - the problem comes when it is used for anything that means 'the majority'.

[Pabmusic]

... I still wince when I hear a split infinitive..... I had a seriously tough English Language teacher at school! Come back Charlie Phelps, all is forgiven!

I'm sure you know that there has never (ever, ever) been a genuine rule of English grammar that forbids a split infinitive - just grammarians who wanted English to behave like Latin, and those who had the 'rule' drummed into them at school.

[cat]

There was also never a rule that words such as decimate must always retain their strict original meaning. That's why we have etymological dictionaries.

[Sir Velo]

There was also never a rule that words such as decimate must always retain their strict original meaning. That's why we have etymological dictionaries.

Nevertheless, it still grates on some of us when words have their meanings forcibly changed through misuse and/or ignorance. Subtlety and nuance are thereby the losers and our language becomes immeasurably the poorer,

[french frank]

Nevertheless, it still grates on some of us when words have their meanings forcibly changed through misuse and/or ignorance. Subtlety and nuance are thereby the losers and our language becomes immeasurably the poorer,

And I suppose one might arrive at a point where historical dictionaries, at least, like the OED become unhelpful because they are recording how words are used and every word means in all contexts what I and everyone else wants it to mean. It would certainly slow the world down if every time you make a comment someone will stop you and say, "What do mean exactly by, say, decimate?" And you have to stop and think: "OED meaning no. 1406 (f), if I remember correctly."

Another question is why did we even come to use 'decimate' if not referring to Roman decimation, which must be, among the general population, quite a rare occurrence?