英文精解

英文精解
Semantitheft
'Stolen meanings'raise specialists' hackles

Ecologists,however,have　a　more　legitimate　beef．“One　of　my　many　pet　peeves,”notes　Terence　Ball　of　Phoenix,“concerns　people　who　speak　of　President　Bush　and　others‘hurting　the　ecology．’What　they　mean　is‘hurting　the　natural　environment．’”Nancy　Eldblom,a　field　botanist　in　Potsdam,N．Y．，says,“Here’s　an　example　of‘stealing’an　entire　branch　of　science:using　ecology,the　life　science‘concerned　with　the　interrelationshˉip　of　organisms　and　their　environments,’to　mean　the　environment　generally．”
My　call:if　you’re　discussing　that　branch　of　biology　dealing　with　the　way　living　organisms　relate　to　their　surroundings,use　ecology,rooted　inthe　Greek　for　“dwelling．”If　you’re　talking　about　air　or　water　pollution　or　gloˉbal　warming（now　renamed“globalclimate　change”），use　environment,from　the　Latin　viron,“circle．”（Lincoln:“I　am　environed　with　difficˉulties．”）If　you　just　want　to　apply　a　political　label,green　will　do　fine．
“Equating　theory　with　hypothesis　is　the　booboo　that　boils　the　blood,”fulminates　Joe　Rosen　of　Bethesda,Md．Judith　Weiss,president　of　the　American　Institute　of　Biological　Sciences,agrees:“In　science,the　word　theory　refers　to　an　underlying　priniciple　of　observedphenomena　that　has　been　tested　and　verifˉied．However,in　common　usage,it　has　come　to　mean‘hunch’or　‘speculation’（what　the　word　hypothesis　means　in　sciˉence）．”
While　scientists　who　admire　precision　often　treat　the　word　theory　as　“a　confirmed　hypothesis,”lexicographers　since　1706　have　defined　it　as“a　supposition”far　from　proven．I　recall　sitting　in　a　box　with　Henry　Kissinger　at　a　Washington　football　game;when　the　referee　outrageouslypenalized　the　Redskins　for　pass　interference,Henry　rose　to　his　feet,shook　his　fists　and　shouted,“On　vot　theory?”Strictlyspeaking,he　meant　hypothesis,but　“only　a　theory”——as　against　demonstrated　fact——is　a　longtime　sense　of　the　term．
Sports　enthusiasts　as　well　as　scientists　defend　their　linguistic　turf．“Railbirds　bristle　at　the　misuse　of　track　record,”vents　Dan　Hely　of　Carlisle　Pa．，who　reminds　us　that　the　track　record　for　the　mile　and　a　half　at　Belmont　is　2　minutes　24　seconds,held　by　Secretariat　since　1973．Yeah,adds　David　Hawkins　of　Brooklyn:“As　a　former　horseplayer,I　getexercised　at　the　use　of　track　record　as　in　‘the　track　record　shows　that　he’ll　make　a　good　president．’A　track　record　is　the　fastest　time　ever　recorded　for　a　specific　distance　at　a　given　track．The　racing　term　that　should　be　used　is　past　performance．”
All　this　raises,not　begs,thequestion:Are　specialists　understandablymiffed　at　the　expropriation　of　their　precise　vocabulary　by　thegeneralist“meaningthieves”？Sure;butthey　don’t　own　the　words　and　should　stop　beˉing　so　myopic．