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From: levy@princeton.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: quantum leap
Message-ID: <254@princeton.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Aug-83 11:48:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: princeto.254
Posted: Wed Aug  3 11:48:38 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Aug-83 01:30:46 EDT
References: <824@gummo.UUCP>, <2380@rochester.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton University
Lines: 15

So you go to your Latin-English dictionary, find out that "quantum"
translates as "quantity", and since your Webster's says that "quantity"
*can mean* "large amount", you decide that's what Latin "quantum" means.
By the same token, "wars" and "pretty" mean the same thing, since they
can both be translated by Latin "bella"...
"Quantum" does not mean "large amount" any more than "small amount".
Its application in physics (and consequently in the expression "quantum
leap") derives from the connotation of discrete change, as opposed to gradual
or continuous change.  In this sense the expression "quantum leap" makes sense,
but the problem is that in physics quantum leaps are very tiny ones, so to
some people at least (those who care about such things anyway) the expression
is associated with smallness, whereas many people who use it (especially 
politicians) mean a big change, instead of a discrete one (not much use in
trying to blame them for change the original meaning, people have always done
that.  One of the joys of nlang.)