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What does "famous" mean?

Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't agree on the meaning of the word "famous". He says that it is strictly used as the opposite of "infamous", and that to be famous always implies that a person is "esteemed" in addition to being "well known". He says that the phrase "a famous murderer" is an oxymoron. I think that "famous" merely means "well known", and implies nothing about how esteemed or admired a person is, except perhaps in certain usage (a "famous scientist" would most likely be an exceptional scientist). So you could say that "Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor" without making a statement regarding his acting ability.
Who's right?
- Dave

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Usenet answered . 21 years ago

[nq:1]Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't agree on the meaning of the word "famous". He says ... you could say that "Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor" without making a statement regarding his acting ability. Who's right?[/nq]
You are. Since one acceptation of 'famous' is simply 'well known', there's nothing self-contradictory about 'a famous murderer'. 'Infamous' has a

Usenet answered . 21 years ago

[nq:1]Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't agree on the meaning of the word "famous". He says ... you could say that "Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor" without making a statement regarding his acting ability. Who's right?[/nq]
The linguistic issue here is what is called 'markedness'. The word 'infamous' is marked, while 'famous' is unmarked. Unmarked features are often f

Usenet answered . 21 years ago

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.P`` `\u003cbr/>end","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:39:57.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:39:57.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105122,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041fb","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"Anyone else have input, other than a copy and paste from a dictionary site? The problem is that we each think that the dictionary supports his side of the argument. ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:53:14.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:53:14.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105129,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041fc","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:2]Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't ... without making a statement regarding his acting ability. Who's right?[/nq]\u003cbr/>[nq:1]From Merriam-Webster: Main Entry: fa·mous Pronunciation: 'fA-m&s Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French fameux, from Latin famosus, from ... kind 2 : causing or bringing infamy : DISGRACEFUL 3 : convicted of an offense bringing infamy - in·fa·mous·ly adverb[/nq]\u003cbr/>Can anyone tell me what those slightly raised dots shown above in \"famousness\" and \"infamously\" are called?\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>Andrew Gwilliam\u003cbr/>To email me, replace \"bottomless pit\" with \"silverhelm\" ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:01:49.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:01:49.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105133,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041fd","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:1]Anyone else have input, other than a copy and paste from a dictionary site? The problem is that we each think that the dictionary supports his side of the argument.[/nq]\u003cbr/>Well here is a personal viewpoint from the UK. I have noticed both uses, \"famous\" meaning \"well known for good reasons\" but also \"famous\" meaning \"well known for reasons that are not necessarily good\". When I hear it, I do not assume that the reasons for fame are good unless I know the speaker's personal usage. If I use \"famous\", I usually mean the latter and would tend to only use the other if contrasting \"famous for good\" and \"famous for bad / infamous\" people or because I expected the listener would misinterpret my usual usage.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>Se=E1n O'Leathl=F3bhair ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:05:21.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:05:21.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105135,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041fe","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:1]Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't agree on the meaning of the word \"famous\". He says ... you could say that \"Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor\" without making a statement regarding his acting ability. Who's right?[/nq]\u003cbr/>You are. Since one acceptation of 'famous' is simply 'well known', there's nothing self-contradictory about 'a famous murderer'. 'Infamous' has a more specified meaning than 'famous', so it's not really an antonym of it. Anyway, you can say that the person is esteemed ill.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>john ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:17:25.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:17:25.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105139,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041ff","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:2]Anyone else have input, other than a copy and paste ... each think that the dictionarysupports his side of the argument.[/nq]\u003cbr/>[nq:1]Well here is a personal viewpoint from the UK. I have noticed both uses, \"famous\" meaning \"well known for good ... contrasting\"famous for good\" and \"famous for bad / infamous\" people or because Iexpected the listener would misinterpret my usual usage.[/nq]\u003cbr/>You're right: Dave's right. \"A famous criminal\" is not an oxymoron.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>Mike. ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:17:26.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T16:17:26.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105140,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec104200","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"Andrew Gwilliam turpitued:\u003cbr/>[nq:2]3 : convicted of an offense bringing infamy - in·fa·mous·ly adverb[/nq]\u003cbr/>[nq:1]Can anyone tell me what those slightly raised dots shown above in \"famousness\" and \"infamously\" are called?[/nq]\u003cbr/>They're not necessarily raised dots. Don's posting, containing the quote from the dictionary, didn't have a MIME header, so there's no way to know what character encoding the dictionary was using. Thus, different people are going to see them as different glyphs, depending on how their software treats non-ASCII codes of unknown origin. I see them as the bottom left corner of a square, but that's only because I'm using code page 850 of the IBM-PC character encodings. Others will see different results.\u003cbr/>It's an unfortunate consequence of the fact that MS-Outlook is too old to know about the MIME standard. Modern newsreaders do a better job of this sort of thing.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>Peter Moylan peter at ee dot newcastle dot edu dot au \u003cspan class='_lnk_exp' title='This link has since expired, or the site is not allowing us to check the link'>http://eepjm.newcastle.edu.au\u003c/span> (OS/2 and eCS information and software) ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T23:23:44.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-21T23:23:44.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105372,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec104201","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:1]Please help settle an argument. A friend and I can't agree on the meaning of the word \"famous\". He says ... you could say that \"Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor\" without making a statement regarding his acting ability. Who's right?[/nq]\u003cbr/>The linguistic issue here is what is called 'markedness'. The word 'infamous' is marked, while 'famous' is unmarked. Unmarked features are often found to be either general or specific, while marked ones are always specific.\u003cbr/>For this discussion, this means that 'famous' can have teh general meaning 'well-known' or the specific meaning 'esteemed', depending on context. The marked form 'infamous' can only be specific, meaning 'despised' or 'regarded negatively'.You will note that this analysis in terms of markedness is largely similar to the (at least pre-twentieth century) use of the word 'man' as opposed to 'woman'; while 'woman' was marked and referred only to persons of the female gender, 'man' was unmarked and could refer either specifically to males or generally to people of unspecified gender. Before this became controversial, it is plain that, in the King James Bible, for instance, a sentence like 'Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others' (Philippians 2:4, but any random sample should offer an example) is not specified for gender.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/> It is only the unmarked form 'man' that can be used in such an unspecified way ('woman' is marked and can only refer to females); similarly, 'famous' is unmarked and so can be used in a general way to mean 'well-known' without specifying whether it is well-known for positive or negative reasons.\u003cbr/>For more on markedness, check a linguistics textbook, particularly one that deals with typology or universals; Joseph Greenberg's 1966 book 'Language Universals' explains it well.\u003cbr/>So which of you is right? In the sense that both of your definitions are possible, you both are; in the sense that neither of your definitions covers all the uses of the word 'famous', neither of you are. You said that both of you thought the dictionary supports your view - that is because you have each adopted views that are quite narrow, while the dictionary faithfully reflects the much broader usage.\u003cbr/>Neeraj Mathur ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-22T01:33:26.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-22T01:33:26.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105397,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec104202","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"[nq:2]From Merriam-Webster: Main Entry: fa·mous - fa·mous·ness noun Main Entry: in·fa·mous - in·fa·mous·ly adverb[/nq]\u003cbr/>[nq:1]Can anyone tell me what those slightly raised dots shown above in \"famousness\" and \"infamously\" are called?[/nq]\u003cbr/>Merriam-Webster just calls them \"centered dots\":\u003cbr/>\u003ca href='http://www.m-w.com/help/pronguide.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.m-w.com/help/pronguide.htm\u003c/a>\u003cbr/>\u003ca href='http://www.m-w.com/help/dictnotes/entries.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.m-w.com/help/dictnotes/entries.htm\u003c/a>\u003cbr/>ASCII/Unicode specifications call them \"middle dots\": ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-22T03:38:53.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-22T03:38:53.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105417,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null},{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec104203","QuestionID":{"_id":"64da83871fc70a17ec1041f9","UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Subject":"What does \"famous\" mean?","QuestionUrl":"what-does-famous-mean-1692042119","Tags":"","ShareCount":0,"ViewCount":4430,"AnswerCount":17,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"FollowCount":0,"CreatedDate":"2005-03-21T15:18:27.000Z"},"UserID":{"_id":"64f3b0cc1fc70a4d60051c5e","FirstName":"Usenet","LastName":"","UserName":"Usenet","Email":"usenet@usenet.com","MobileNo":"","ProfilePicture":"","IsModerator":0,"IsAdmin":0,"IsExpert":0},"Answer":"(Sorry, last post got cut off.)\u003cbr/>[nq:2]From Merriam-Webster: Main Entry: fa·mous - fa·mous·ness noun Main Entry: in·fa·mous - in·fa·mous·ly adverb[/nq]\u003cbr/>[nq:1]Can anyone tell me what those slightly raised dots shown above in \"famousness\" and \"infamously\" are called?[/nq]\u003cbr/>Merriam-Webster just calls them \"centered dots\":\u003cbr/>\u003ca href='http://www.m-w.com/help/pronguide.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.m-w.com/help/pronguide.htm\u003c/a>\u003cbr/>\u003ca href='http://www.m-w.com/help/dictnotes/entries.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.m-w.com/help/dictnotes/entries.htm\u003c/a>\u003cbr/>ASCII/Unicode specifications call them \"middle dots\":\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>\u003ca href='http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/00b7/index.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/00b7/index.htm\u003c/a> ","Status":1,"UpvoteCount":0,"DownvoteCount":0,"ReportCount":0,"CommentCount":0,"ModifiedBy":"","CreatedDate":"2005-03-22T03:40:02.000Z","CreatedIP":"","UpdatedDate":"2005-03-22T03:40:02.000Z","UpdatedIp":"","IsDeleted":0,"IsVerified":0,"IsExpert":0,"VerifiedDate":null,"VerifiedBy":"","IsUnderModeration":0,"IsDisableComment":0,"IsRemovedByAdmin":0,"IsBestAnswer":0,"DeletedDate":null,"UserData":[],"Old_UserID":78400,"Old_PostID":1105426,"Old_IsApproved":1,"Old_PostStatus":0,"Old_ThreadID":332744,"Old_ParentID":1105093,"Old_SectionID":7075,"IsMigrated":1,"IsUpdated":1,"IsVoted":0,"UpVote":null,"DownVote":null}]}}

What does "famous" mean?

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