Date:  Thu, 14 Dec 1995 09:28:30 -0500

From:  Jesse T Sheidlower <jester[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]PANIX.COM>

Subject: Re: Question-begging



>

> I'm passing this along from a non-ADS colleague, who wonders whether anyone

> else has noticed what she calls

>

>  'this new quasi literal use of "beg the question" to mean something like

> 'strongly prompt one to ask the question', as in e.g. "Your lateness begs

> the question 'What kept you?'"? I think there was an occurrence of it in

> The American President (which we saw (and at least I enjoyed) last

> weekend), and I also heard one last night on TV.'

>

> I haven't noticed it myself, but it strikes me as a plausible addition to add

> to our stock of folk-etymologized collocations and proverbs.

> --Larry



I've noticed an increasing use of this over the last few years,

and we have a few citations for it. I think there was a

discussion about it on alt.usage.english a few months ago as

well.



Some general questioning has suggested that most younger people

don't even realize what the original sense is.



Jesse Sheidlower

<jester[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]panix.com>