jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (03/14/85)
This comes from a newspaper column that George Orwell wrote in 1947: "We say, for instance, 'After a certain age one's hair turns grey", or 'There will probably be a certain amount of snow in February". In all such sentences, 'certain' means *uncertain*. Why do we have to use this word in two opposite meanings? And yet, unless one pedantically says 'after an uncertain age', etc., there appears to be no other word which will exactly cover the required meaning." One of the definitions given by Webster's 2nd is "one or some among possible others; one or some known only as of a specified name or character; as, certain leaders of the people; -- often used derogatorily; as, a certain Mr. Washington was elected President." Despite the fact that the second example refers to a specific person, I think this definition covers the case that Orwell describes. I don't have any idea how this usage came about. Comments? -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) aka Swazoo Koolak
jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (03/21/85)
An obsolete meaning of the word "upset" is "to set up or raise; to put upright" (Webster's 2nd). It seems logical that this was the original meaning. One of its current meanings (to overturn) is almost the opposite of the original. Does anyone know how this reversal came about? -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) aka Swazoo Koolak