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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
"exemplary"
I found the following bit of self-advertisement
on a UK-based website:
"Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent ,
for giving this page top billing in his 'Websites' column, 14 June 1999. 'Some sites are less than
helpful ... . This one ... is exemplary.' "
(http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/index.html)
I found it comical. In American English, "exemplary" often has the sense of "serving as an example or
illustration".
Form the usage above, I assume that in BrE
"exemplary" means exclusively "serving as a
desirable or admirable example or illustration".
Michael West
on a UK-based website:
"Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent ,
for giving this page top billing in his 'Websites' column, 14 June 1999. 'Some sites are less than
helpful ... . This one ... is exemplary.' "
(http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/index.html)
I found it comical. In American English, "exemplary" often has the sense of "serving as an example or
illustration".
Form the usage above, I assume that in BrE
"exemplary" means exclusively "serving as a
desirable or admirable example or illustration".
Michael West
Top answer
[nq:1]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based website: "Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent , ... html ) I found it comical. [/nq] "Exemplary" comes from "exemplar".
- [nq:1]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based website: "Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent , ...
- html ) I found it comical.
- [/nq] "Exemplary" comes from "exemplar".
- " Do you always find it comical to learn something?
- You must've been a very happy child.
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8 Answers
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[nq:1]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based website: "Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent , ... (http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/index.html) I found it comical. In American English, "exemplary" often has the sense of "serving as an example or illustration".[/nq]
00
[nq:2]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based ... has the sense of "serving as an example or illustration".[/nq]
[nq:1]"Exemplary" comes from "exemplar". "His conduct was exemplary" is more or less equivalent to "His conduct was an example to us all." Do you always find it comical to learn something? You must've been a very happy child.[/nq]
Perhaps you missed the uni
[nq:1]"Exemplary" comes from "exemplar". "His conduct was exemplary" is more or less equivalent to "His conduct was an example to us all." Do you always find it comical to learn something? You must've been a very happy child.[/nq]
Perhaps you missed the uni
00
[nq:1]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based website: "Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent , ... the usage above, I assume that in BrE "exemplary" means exclusively "serving as a desirable or admirable example or illustration".[/nq]
I don't know about BrE, but in my idiolect, without further qualification, yes. I think it's often military.
"Exemplary" means "
I don't know about BrE, but in my idiolect, without further qualification, yes. I think it's often military.
"Exemplary" means "
00
[nq:1]I found the following bit of self-advertisement on a UK-based website: "Thanks to Andy Oldfield, of The Independent , ... the usage above, I assume that in BrE "exemplary" means exclusively "serving as a desirable or admirable example or illustration".[/nq]
Whoever trimmed the original probably couldn't see what it said afterward- like trying to proofread one's own writing.
john
Whoever trimmed the original probably couldn't see what it said afterward- like trying to proofread one's own writing.
john
00
[nq:2]"Exemplary" comes from "exemplar". "His conduct was exemplary" is moreor ... comical to learn something? You must've been avery happy child.[/nq]
[nq:1]Perhaps you missed the unintentional humour I cited. I shall paraphrase it for you. "Some sites are less than helpful. This one is an example."[/nq]
I see, given Michael West's AmE definition, why this comment might amuse an American,
[nq:1]Perhaps you missed the unintentional humour I cited. I shall paraphrase it for you. "Some sites are less than helpful. This one is an example."[/nq]
I see, given Michael West's AmE definition, why this comment might amuse an American,
00
[nq:2]Perhaps you missed the unintentional humour I cited. I shall paraphrase it for you. "Some sites are less than helpful. This one is an example."[/nq]
[nq:1]I see, given Michael West's AmE definition, why this comment might amusean American, but we in the UK would read ... normal "admirable" sense - it mostly shows the difference between work just reaching a grade and work narrowly missing
[nq:1]I see, given Michael West's AmE definition, why this comment might amusean American, but we in the UK would read ... normal "admirable" sense - it mostly shows the difference between work just reaching a grade and work narrowly missing
00
[nq:1]or very[/nq]
Not at all. "non-example" has nothing to do with it. What has been stated is that "exemplary" normally means, in BrE, a good example, worthy of being followed. The point is, BrE does not normally see "exemplary" as a quality-neutral word. "Example", however, is seen in such a way.
Thus far what has already been said.
My take on it is that "exemplary" is indeed o
Not at all. "non-example" has nothing to do with it. What has been stated is that "exemplary" normally means, in BrE, a good example, worthy of being followed. The point is, BrE does not normally see "exemplary" as a quality-neutral word. "Example", however, is seen in such a way.
Thus far what has already been said.
My take on it is that "exemplary" is indeed o
00
It seems that AmE is more consistent with the Latin meaning of "exempli gratia".
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