Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.08 10/3/83; site psuvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!sb1!sb6!bpa!burdvax!psuvax!simon From: simon@psuvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: id AA27063; Thu, 23 Feb 84 04:06:19 pst Message-ID: <747@psuvax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 27-Feb-84 14:49:12 EST Article-I.D.: psuvax.747 Posted: Mon Feb 27 14:49:12 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 28-Feb-84 15:39:31 EST References: <5761@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ. Lines: 12 It is sad to have to read all these glorifications of ignorance ("I don't speak any languages other than English, and I am proud of being an uncultured slob"). As a specific comment, it was said that the origin of "decimate" was "to take the tenth part" while it is used in the sense of "wipe out", and therefore, culture is bad, since you would use the word wrongly. The fact is, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. In this specific case, a little more knowledge would elicit the fact that a not uncommon, and very severe form of punishment for rebellious legions was to decimate them - kill every tenth soldier. This "only" took every tenth soldier, but gave the ominous meaning to the word. js