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To: gaijin

Whoops!

Rush also screws up use of the word, “inoculate”.

He really means, *vaccinate* but lots of people these days are so dumb that his (years long) contretemps goes totally unnoticed.

It’s weird cuz Rush is actually pretty erudite and his daily bread and butter is use of words.


12 posted on 11/03/2014 5:31:17 PM PST by gaijin
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To: gaijin
No, he's correct.

"Inoculate" is a much older word (from horticulture), and the practice is older as well, since it dates back to the 10th century in China and the Middle East. It involved the deliberate introduction of the same virus from a pustule on a smallpox victim into the body of another. It conferred immunity by the same organism.

Figuratively, it means to defuse or remove a threat or criticism by discussing it first. ("Defense counsel inoculated his witness against mention of his criminal record on cross-examination by bringing it up in his direct examination.")

"Vaccinate" is not used in this way. It originally involved the use of a related but not identical virus ("vaccinia" is cowpox) to induce immunity, so the idea of reducing a threat by mentioning it first doesn't fly.

And "contretemps" originally meant a fencer accidentally running his opponent through in practice because he was "out of time" i.e. out of synch. In modern usage, it means an unfortunate accident (from 1802) or a quarrel (from 1961).

"Chomping" is not preferred but is not technically incorrect, because it means the same thing - chewing noisily, which is what the original expression means. From a horsey point of view, though, "champing at the bit" shouldn't mean that the horse is anxious or excited. We want our horses to mouth the bit and move it around, because it means that their jaw and poll are relaxed and they are receptive to the bit. I even use a copper center on my horse's bit to encourage salivation and chewing.

He does misuse "literally" all the doggone time, though.

27 posted on 11/03/2014 6:07:36 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (Ecce Crucem Domini, fugite partes adversae. Vicit Leo de Tribu Iuda, Radix David, Alleluia!)
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