MISUSE OF WORDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22922, 19 June 1944, Page 4

MISUSE OF WORDS

Criticism In Britain LONDON. May 27. Appointment of a “Keeper of the King’s English’’ has been suggested by a correspondent in the “Daily Telegraph.” His duty, the writer suggests, would be to check expressions to publications like the official “London Gazette.” The corresondent adds: “In a recent citation of a V.C. award the recipient was described as a ‘byword for bravery .’ My dictionary describes ‘byword’ as ‘object of common derision.’ “About tw’o years ago a citation for a similar award described an officer as ‘notorious’ for his bravery. My dictionary describes ‘notorious’ as ‘publicly known (now’ used in a bad sense); infamous.’ Surely both these terms are used only in a derogatory sense in modem parlance.”

Tire Oxford New English Dictionary says: “Byword: A person or thing who becomes proverbial as a type of specified characteristics; an object of scorn or contempt." “Notorious (used of persons): Well or widely known (now rare'; famous (obsolete) . . . noted for some bad practice, quality, etc.; unfavourably knowm: w’ell known on account of something which is not generally approved of or admired."