OT - "It begs the question"

Submitted by Section 1 on

I know that there are a great many students of all levels on the MGoBoard, in addition to many post-graduates who are interested in writing.  There are STEM students who, despite their technical orientation, wish to learn better writing and communication skills.  God bless them all.  There are liberal arts students whose future careers in education, journalism, the law, etc., depend upon being skilled communicators.

One of several basic grammatical mistakes that I see in comment writing at MGoBlog is the misuse of the syllogism, "It begs the question."  People -- young students, I presume -- frequently write, "it begs the question," when they really mean "it raises the question."

This issue of misuse comes up so frequently, that a web site was devoted to the annoying error.  And then, linking to that site, Roy Peter Clark of The Poynter Institute took the time to write this post at Poynter.com.

So don't be a jerk, and misuse the phrase, "it begs the question."  Underclass students in English composition ought to know this.  No self-respecting professional should commit this mistake in usage.  The only explanation for the error seems to be people who think that they know a little bit about writing, and who want to appear sophisticated, but who are in fact poseurs.

 

MGoBoard

nogit

February 1st, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^

On any other website I would assume you were a troll.

Here... perhaps a lawyer?  I can't think of any other profession for which a well-understood but technically incorrect syllogism would actually be a problem.

On the other hand, accusing people of being jerks over a grammar mistake would be a problem in quite a few professions.

Joined: 05/28/2011

MGoPoints: 565

Malapropist

February 1st, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^

If u want to lecture, be a teacher and show how we're all using it wrong and how we should use it properly.

Begs the question, are you the worlds biggest douche?

Joined: 10/30/2011

MGoPoints: 121

VectorVictor05

February 1st, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^

Infer vs imply. This one I can't stand even more than others mentioned. Mostly because they simply mean different things. My boss, who is otherwise a really smart guy, says, "he inferred xxx" all the time when he really means someone implied something. I want to grab him and say "YOU inferred jackass!". /end rant

Joined: 03/30/2009

MGoPoints: 1594

SalvatoreQuattro

February 1st, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^

writer. My father once showed me an email he got from a MD. It had to be one of the most poorly written emails I have seen anyone with a college education write.

Meanwhile, the autodidact Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address.

 

There are certain things a person needs a college education for. Writing isn't one of them.

Joined: 11/30/2010

MGoPoints: 78902

superstringer

February 1st, 2014 at 4:34 PM ^

I rarely neg but had to do this one.  Srsly, some people have such a holier-than-thou attitude that they feel they HAVE to share their superiority with everyone.

As someone with a STEM degree... Aero engineering, and "STEM" makes me think of stem cell research, but, no politics on this site... anyway, I submit there might be another explanation, one the OP failed to consider.

Sometimes, idioms and the meaning of words change by usage.  He didn't stop to consider that the phrase, "It begs the question," no longer has the same literal meaning as those particular words.  I submit that it's common meaning now means, a problem or question whose answer immediately gives rise to a second, underlying or more important question.  When you hear that phrase REPEATEDLY used, and always in that context, then it's got a new meaning.

That's how language changes, right.  Or how phrases / idioms take meaning different from their literal words.  Like, "Take a shower"?  Where are you taking it to?  Etc.  (That's probably not the best example but it immediately came to mind.)  (Along with Jessica Alba in the shower, but, I digress.)

That someone felt the need to ridicule everyone for using a very common phrase, it's nonsense.  OK Mr Grammar Nazi... your concern is duly noted, and, ignored.

Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 18175

blueblueblue

February 1st, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^

While your real purpose in this post was to appear superior, it had the opposite effect on my opinion of you. Anyone who makes a post like this is quite insecure in their intelligence. You try to pin down the evolution of language, and point a finger at anyone who is not in keeping with anachronistic meanings as wrong. Here's a tidbit for you - language evolves.

What you should really be doing is watching its evolution, and paying attention to the contextual factors that cause changes in meaning. That's what is interesting, and it contributes to being an interesting person. It does not make you an interesting person to be able to point a finger at someone's turn of phrase and call it wrong - it makes you a dull-witted person who is oblivoius to change, whose intelligence is a solipsistic outgrowth of their blinded attachement to a few artificially static facts. 

Joined: 12/28/2008

MGoPoints: 6630

True Blue Grit

February 1st, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^

I also am abhored at the poor grammer shown by many posters, irregardless of what the topic is.  Your just kidding yourself if you think people wont notice.  What bug's me the most though, is the misuse of punctuation -its not that difficult people!  But the OP poster is right about misused, worn out phrases.  In the end analysis, I beg to differ with those who want to float a trial balloon by begging the question.  

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 32373

B-Nut-GoBlue

February 1st, 2014 at 5:20 PM ^

What's funny, well not really, more sad, is that there is a large portion of the population that would read that and would flat out agree and act as if nothing was improper.  Maybe, they'd recognize something was off, like the "your" for example.  This is all anecdotal, of course, and while I'm at it I am not trying to come across as superior.  I do not think the OP is either; it's a qualm of his and somewhat of an interesting OT subject that most don't even realize.

I'm not speaking of people here on this blog, the many erros we type daily aside, but the portion of people who were not taught properly.  Most of the population used to be intelligent and pay attention to the details I would think.  Times have very much changed.  Many, many do not these days, as the example of the Dr. above who couldn't wirte a proper letter; at what point did we let it become okay to not communicate via text properly?!  (The internet age, I would gather?  Possibly before that, for those older than me?)

Joined: 09/30/2011

MGoPoints: 43697

WolvinLA2

February 1st, 2014 at 7:14 PM ^

I know this thread has turned into a total joke, but I agree with the OP. That is one of those things that drive me crazy. Right up there with a coach or player saying they're "humbled" when something great happens to them.

Joined: 11/13/2009

MGoPoints: 58191

Jon06

February 2nd, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^

Do you also get mad that people use "enormity" to mean large rather than monstrously wicked? Or "nonplussed" to mean unfazed rather than bewildered? Language changes.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_people_say_they_feel_humbled_when_they_get_honored

Also useful: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2290.

This thread: not useful.

Joined: 09/19/2009

MGoPoints: 15308