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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

Cupid on CBS

Three women on the CBS show Cupid made fun of a guy for misusing the word 'stigmata'. They said that stigmata meant the marks from crucifixion. Stigmata is plural of stigma last time I checked. So his usage in that context was correct. Sigmata could also mean the crucifixion marks but that is not the only meaning, is it? Any thoughts from English experts who might have watched the show?

John
  

Top answer

[nq:1] Three women on the CBS show Cupid made fun of a guy for misusing the word 'stigmata'. They said ... but that is not the only meaning, is it?

— Usenet

  • [nq:1] Three women on the CBS show Cupid made fun of a guy for misusing the word 'stigmata'.
  • They said ...
  • but that is not the only meaning, is it?
  • [/nq] My Webster's confirms that the plural of stigma is stigmas or stigmata.
  • Sure haven't heard stigmata used in that way, though.
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2 Answers
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[nq:1] Three women on the CBS show Cupid made fun of a guy for misusing the word 'stigmata'. They said ... but that is not the only meaning, is it? Any thoughts from English experts who might have watched the show?[/nq]
My Webster's confirms that the plural of stigma is stigmas or stigmata. Sure haven't heard stigmata used in that way, though.
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[nq:1]Three women on the CBS show Cupid made fun of a guy for misusing the word 'stigmata'. They said that ... but that is not the only meaning, is it? Any thoughts from English experts who might have watched the show?[/nq]
I agree that he's wrong to use "stigmata" rather than "stigmas", whatever the dictionary might say. After all, dictionaries contain lots of words which aren't actually use
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