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Re: Convince vs. Persuade (WAS: Displays versus Appears )
Subject:Re: Convince vs. Persuade (WAS: Displays versus Appears ) From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 20 Dec 2000 13:21:17 -0800
Berk/Devlin wrote:
> I disagree; I think that if you know there's a difference, then in your
> professional work, and if it doesn't take significantly more effort, you
> should take care to choose the MOST appropriate word.
At the risk of sounding Zen-like: if you're the only one who
recognizes the distinction, is the distinction worth making? Or is
it simply wasted effort past a certain point? When a majority of
people miss the nuances you're trying to distinguish, then maybe the
time has come to admit defeat. You might grumble along the way (and
certainly a loss of nuance is worth a well-placed grumble or two),
but you're not likely to restore the loss, even if you manage to
band together with a few hundred like-minded individuals.
About the only consolation is that the English language (bless its
bloated, cumbersome soul) has survived the atrocities of generations
of users and still managed to survive as a decent, all-purpose
communication tool. In trying to preserve meanings that are
changing, you're fighting a rear-guard action: you might slow the
rate of change, and maybe win a skirmish or two, but you aren't
going to win the war.
--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7189 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
"Last and most important question: Did Valerie have time to do the
chocolate coating?"
- S. Morgenstern, "Buttercup's Baby"
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