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Pedants' corner

My pedantic teeth-on-edge moment of the day

5 replies

stealthsquiggle · 31/01/2012 10:25

"surmise" used in place of "summarise" - they mean completely different things FGS.

Also (but not quite sure of my ground on this one, so I am prepared to be enlightened) "examplar" vs "example"

I am in document-creation-by-committee hell today and for the forseeable future so there will be more. Last time I went around this loop I ended up explaining to all and sundry the proper meaning of "paradigm"

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GrimmaTheNome · 31/01/2012 10:31

The exemplar versus example is subtle - a definition which may be helpful is 'a typical or good example of something'. So all exemplars are examples but not all examples are exemplars. (examplar is an archaic variation of exemplar BTW). There may be cases where 'exemplar' is an appropriate term but it's not a synonym.

stealthsquiggle · 31/01/2012 10:35

Thanks, Grimma - I am glad I didn't challenge that one. The examples in question, however, are not in fact good ones, so I don't think exemplar is really appropriate but life is too short to argue every single one as they all think I am a PITA anyway.

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PostBellumBugsy · 31/01/2012 10:42

Sympathy stealthsquiggle - sounds like you have a grim day ahead of you. Bit shocked by the surmise, summarise mix up - given their entirely different meanings.
My understanding of an examplar is that it is a noun meaning an example of, or an illustration of or a for instance. It is an archaic term these days and not often used.
Exempler is again a noun, meaining the ideal model, a person or thing to be imitated, at type of example to be copied. Can also be used as an adverb, exemplarily or more commonly as an adjective, exemplary.

stealthsquiggle · 31/01/2012 11:34

Aaaagh they are all talking about bloody "journeys" now. Grump. Thank God for remote working as they can't see me pulling faces although they might hear me swearing in a minute.

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stealthsquiggle · 31/01/2012 11:35

(to be clear - they are using "journey" in the same sense as gushy annoying Strictly/X-Factor/random-celeb-nonsense contestants do)

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