posted
Can someone enlighten me as to why we use the word awful to describe something horrible or nasty, when the word offal is much better suited to the task? This is just something I've been wondering about. I might make it my mission in life to see that 3rd definition of "awful" moved over to "offal" and have "offal" become the primary descriptive word for "nasty" (as opposed to "awful"). Who's with me?!
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
See, I've always said "offal". I've just pronounced it "awful", so you wouldn't have noticed until now.
Posts: 3852 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
The words pioneer, peon, and pawn are all related as well, but they're still different words with different meanings.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Awful != awe full, just like always != all ways.
It's true they're not equal, but the third definition of the former is the latter, and there's plenty of examples of it being used that way.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I don't follow. I read your sentence as saying that the third definition of awful (extremely disagreeable or objectionable) is the same thing as awe full, but that doesn't make sense.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote: aw‧ful /ˈɔfəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[aw-fuhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. extremely bad; unpleasant; ugly: awful paintings; an awful job. 2. inspiring fear; dreadful; terrible: an awful noise. 3. solemnly impressive; inspiring awe: the awful majesty of alpine peaks. 4. full of awe; reverential. 5. extremely dangerous, risky, injurious, etc.: That was an awful fall she had. He took an awful chance by driving here so fast. –adverb 6. Informal. very; extremely: He did an awful good job of painting the barn. It's awful hot in here.
By the way, I've used in it both senses and seen it in both senses pretty my entire literate life, although the "extremely bad" usage is more common.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
It happens in many cases. Offal is truly awful. Gambling can be gamboling. And littoral is literally litoral.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I believe there is a passage in the book of Revelations where John says,
"6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."
It should be obvious that John is not suggesting that the woman in the passage is somebody we should admire in the current common use of the word,
1. To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval. 2. To have a high opinion of; esteem or respect. 3. Chiefly New England & Upper Southern U.S. To enjoy (something): “I just admire to get letters, but I don't admire to answer them” (Dialect Notes).
Probably more along the lines of, 4. Archaic. To marvel or wonder at.
I see aweful in the same vein. There are things so terrible it fills me with awe that they are thus, but there could also be things so good they invoke the same emotion.
Though I would probably specify if I used awful in a positive sense as it seems that just from the natural path of the English language the negative connotation is usually meant.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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