rich (01/17/83)
I guess I am the (tektronix.892) that Joe Wilson was flaming about
who said "BC never meant Before Christ." That is still my contention
regardless of what the dictionary says. Explanation: BC was and is a
bastardized version of BCE, which is Common and/or Christian. Anyone
who has done any study into this western religion vs. calendar dates
thing cannot/willnot/shouldnot tell you Christ was born in the year
zero (he/she would certainly get flamed out of existance). If Christ
was born in 4BC(E), then how could Christ be born 4 year before Christ?
The many things I *HAVE* researched state BC was/is a lazy version of
BCE and lack of knowledge or ignorance led the general populace to
consider those letters to mean "Before Christ" which eventually created
a dictionary entry to that effect, not because of any "true meaning"
but only because of popular usage. (look up QUIZ sometime - it has no
roots or logical origin. It is a "fabricated" word which gained usage
through wager and gained entry in our language for the "questions" it
raised when posted all around the city). Just having a dictionary
entry does not make a thing correct, only popular.
Anyone want to run A.D. into the ground now? (a.d.- anno Domini)
Rich Amberfjg (01/31/83)
Rich Amber states that a dictionary entry does not make a meaning correct, only popular. C'mon Rich, what do you think, the 'true' meaning of words are ordained by God ? As a language grows and develops, words sometimes take on new meanings. Even though some words do not mean the same thing now that they did 50 years ago, they still have a 'true' meaning. And the 'true' meaning is the popular meaning. -Joe Glynn BTL IH ihtnt!fjg