One of the immutable truths of life is that every language changes, as long as it is a living language that is still spoken and used. The second truth is that it only takes a language to change that there will be people complaining about the change. And the third truth is that complaints about a language also drift and change, in a similar way to its semantics.
There are some complaints that have shown considerable longevity, such as complaints about ending sentences with prepositions or infinitives. It’s been fine for hundreds of years to do that, despite the constant warnings against them all along. The shelf life of most use-cases is significantly shorter than this and can often be measured in decades rather than centuries. For example, we no longer practice the word complete like we used to do.
Sure, some of us probably still do.
All of the cool kids these days (the word ‘great kids’ means ‘do we have to explain this to you again?’) complain about literallybut in the middle of the 20th century complete is the beta noire of cognoscenti. It has had several attacks against it: words ending in –size Often viewed with suspicion, many have assumed (erroneously) that the word originated in the business world and that it has recently been popularized by politicians (especially President Eisenhower).
While there are many who oppose the use of completefew people despise like New York Times. On a fine day in 1961, the Gray Lady sniffed both President Kennedy (who recently used the word) and Merriam-Webster (who recently defined the word).
Mr. President, are you sure you cleaned your house thoroughly after you moved in? It sounds like your predecessor left a few loose words that you may have picked up by accident. When you said yesterday, “We haven’t completed any plans,” that sounds like a previous occupant once said, as quoted in the Third (or Bolshevik) International. by Webster: “My conclusion will be finalized soon.” In any case, be careful where you walk, as there might be some loose syntax lying around.– New York TimesNovember 30, 1961
Why the editors of The third new international dictionary of Merriam-Webster (published in 1961) decided to include complete when August publications like New York Times do not accept its use? Because dictionaries include words based on usage, not public opinion, and there is substantial evidence to suggest that complete was used in mid-century English.
The aggregation of these reports from different groups provided a complete foundation….– New York TimesMarch 6, 1960
He is scheduled to chair a National Security Council meeting on Tuesday, at which an effort will be made to finalize the $41,000,000,000 defense provisions.– New York TimesNovember 23, 1959
The committee told Kramer he would be welcome back, but previously concluded agreements “must be strictly adhered to.”– New York TimesJanuary 29, 1958
Some would argue that the end was heralded by the razing of the old hotel with thirteen miles of corridor in 1936, and ended with the recent war-torn fall of the legendary Stotesbury Mansion…– New York TimesApril 29, 1957
With the gas export plan getting more and more complete…– New York TimesJanuary 5, 1956
How big it will be is still unfinished…– New York TimesJanuary 2, 1955
LA Woodward, president of Mid-West, said the financial plans are yet to be finalized pending the completion of the combined operating studies.– New York TimesOctober 7, 1954
A deposit? Well, that makes it pretty annoying, completing the booking, so to speak….– New York TimesJune 14, 1953
Of course, the 1953 model bodywork was completed months ago.— New York TimesJuly 13, 1952
The immediate question is whether a meeting (sic) of plenipotentiary representatives should be organized to finalize and sign the convention.– New York TimesAugust 15, 1951
For now, the following steps will be taken to “finish” or establish a de facto defense force.– New York TimesSeptember 27, 1950
Additional costs to the United Nations for the current year were approved by the General Assembly at Flushing Meadow yesterday without debate or vote in a formal act finalizing the cost 1949….– New York TimesDecember 10, 1949
The remainder, much of which has no commercial value, is being prepared for closing or for recovery by the ownership agencies.– New York TimesOctober 30, 1948
This is now being demonstrated in workshops of automotive stylists across the industry; the 1949 models were almost perfected for all manufacturers….– New York TimesDecember 21, 1947
Some might accuse us of being petty for waiting 57 years to respond to the stab in New York Times about us determined complete by pointing out that this newspaper used the word (or even worse, the noun form settlement) annually for the 14 years before this definition was published. They will be right; it is really petty. It is also thorough, and if there are any two words that define lexicographers, it is “petty” and “thorough” (and not, as is commonly assumed, “babble” and ” attentive”).
Blame the introduction complete Our language has changed a few times. Eisenhower is often credited with popularizing it, although no one thinks he invented the word. Some say it came from the bad financial sector of the United States in the early 20th century. Others point out that it was used in Australia and New Zealand in the 19th century. We probably won’t. never knew who used the word for the first time, but we now know that it was in use long before any group or people above used it, with evidence dating back to the end 18th century.
There really will be no other Method to End the Suffering of the Unhappy; for that most general case, arising out of the Insolvency Act, would very rarely be administered, if this Measure in question were to be instituted; and This Measure, at least, as it stands, will cause, but not end, the Pain of Adversity.— Public Advertiser (London, England) April 24, 1780
The word was not commonly found during the rest of the 18th century, but around the mid-19th century it began to show signs of being used more often.
I ask again, is Chief Baron Woulfe’s bill to facilitate and complete registration?— Freeman’s magazine (Dublin, Ir.), June 18, 1839
Who would have thought, after all these confessions, that one of the pacifists, a Southerner, would be the first to revive that hysteria, in a ludicrous attempt to settle the measures he has claimed to have settled, and to finalize a “final outcome? “— Half-week standard (Raleigh, NC), May 8, 1852
The abolition of Dual Government, or even the change of having both meet under one roof, with the power of each ministry to perfect and implement its own measures, would in themselves extinguish a world. world procrastination and confusion, that it is almost possible. enough for a major reform.— Morning Chronicles (London, England), December 29, 1857
Maybe there are still some people complete annoying; language discomforts fade over time, not all at once. But for the most part this word is fully accepted in our language and you can use it without fear that it is colloquial or overly formal.
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
