 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / December 2007Entity
I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in the south-western USA. One thing I found strange and rather off-putting, however, was that the author kept referring to the ghost as an "entity". It seemed an odd sort of word to use in the context of the story. Apart from its use by database fundis, I've only seen "entity" used with such frequency in American atheist polemics. I wonder if "entity" has a meaning in American English that it doesn't have elsewhere. That exhausts my English usage question, but there's more on my blog at: http://methodius.blogspot.com/2007/12/entities-in-land-of-echoes.html if anyone is interested.  SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel > Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Blog:http://methodius.blogspot.com > E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk Perhaps, it's an effort to emphasize that the ghost is not just a bunch of ghostly phenomena but an articulate entity, a being causing those phenoma rather than the phenomena themselves; in a word, the ghost is 'people'; the Navajo people being convinced that their mysteries are not random natural or even super-natural phenomena, but epiphanies of an articulate being's design, i.e it makes sense to speak of the ghost as an articulate entity, a being, an individual which, for example, you wouldn't do with the weather. >I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel >Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >if anyone is interested. I found "fundis" online- a South African word meaning expert. The reference didn't make clear whether it was the same in singular and plural. Is it? SignatureJohn John O'Flaherty <quiasmox@yeeha.com> het geskryf: > I found "fundis" online- a South African word meaning > expert. The reference didn't make clear whether it was > the same in singular and plural. Is it? Not in common English usage, where regular[1] English rules for plurals are applied to the word, which is a loan-word. But the possible source of your uncertainty is QI[2]: "fundi" is derived from a root (-fund-) common to many Nguni languages that inflect plurals at the beginning of the word (which makes using a dictionary challenging). Hence: umfundi: scholar bafundi: scholars [For example: the prefices vary between different languages.] While we are here, inflections also occur at the back of word. For example, introducing the reflexive -is- into the above turns "scholar" (in the sense of "student") into "teacher" ("one who causes learning"): umfundisi: teacher bafundisi: teachers [1] He's a regular English rule. [2] Quite Interesting. SignatureNat ----- "The scrotum is quite an interesting thing." ---Stephen Fry, /QI/ Series 1, Episode 7 >John O'Flaherty <quiasmox@yeeha.com> het geskryf: > [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > >[2] Quite Interesting. That's interesting. What made me ask was Steve's use where "database fundis" seemed to be plural, but when I looked it up, "fundis" was shown as singular: http://www.allwords.com/word-fundis.html So, should the English plural be "fundises", or is the singular "fundi"? SignatureJohn John O'Flaherty <quiasmox@yeeha.com> het geskryf: > That's interesting. What made me ask was Steve's use > where "database fundis" seemed to be plural, but when I It is. > looked it up, "fundis" was shown as singular: > http://www.allwords.com/word-fundis.html I just went there, and that's not how I interpret what comes up. I think the singular root word "fundi" appears in bold, in the normal manner, and the "fundis" given after the definition is the plural, highlighted because that's what you typed in, and so that is what the search engine found. > So, should the English plural be "fundises", or is the > singular "fundi"? (English) Singular: fundi (English) Plural: fundis "fundises" does not occur. SignatureNat ----- "I've stopped reading Bob's posts these days, as he seems unhealthily obsessed with those he perceives as his persecutors. I've never really cared for watching people pick at their scabs." ---Harvey van Sickle >John O'Flaherty <quiasmox@yeeha.com> het geskryf: > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >"fundises" does not occur. Thanks. Somehow, I saw only "fundis" and missed the bold header. SignatureJohn >John O'Flaherty <quiasmox@yeeha.com> het geskryf: > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >"fundises" does not occur. Same in Swahili - i.e. the informal lingua franca version. In real or "safi" Swahili (as spoken by the Swahil people) the singular/plural are indicated by prefix. Interestingly, it can have two distinct meanings in Swahili. In the more common case it means any kind of workman (carpenter, mechanic, plumber,...). But when used with some kind of adjectival emphasis, it changes it meaning to be "expert" in just about any field of endeavor. The fundis should be ready next week with the new bathroom extenson. When it comes to diesel engines, he is a real fundi. Jitze Jitze <couperus@znet.com> het geskryf: > The fundis should be ready next week with the new bathroom > extenson. ...the new hell-fire bathroom extension. >Jitze <couperus@znet.com> het geskryf: > >> The fundis should be ready next week with the new bathroom >> extenson. > >...the new hell-fire bathroom extension. I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no idea what you're on about. Bathroom extension --> new extension being built on to the house, which will be a bathroom when it is done. Bathroom extension --> an extra telephone line to the bathroom so that I can make and receive calls while performing my ablutions. Maybe the latter is what you are referring to - the danger of dropping the instrument while I am in the tub and thus becoming electrically stimulated. But, but, ...I was just about to launch into a small dissertation on high volts but low amps thus no harm done - when I realised I'd better not - lest I unleash another pissing contest twixt Lodder and Cunningham on the subject. Jitze Jitze <couperus@znet.com> het geskryf: >>Jitze <couperus@znet.com> het geskryf: >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no > idea what you're on about. This may be because you know better than to rhyme "fundis" with "undies", but I was referring to the slang term "fundies" (rhymes with "undies", AFAIK), which is slang for "fundamentalist Christians"[1]. No whoosh was intended; 'twas drive-by smartarsery, merely[2]. > ...I was just about to launch into a small dissertation > on high volts but low amps thus no harm done - when > I realised I'd better not - lest I unleash another pissing > contest twixt Lodder and Cunningham on the subject. Well left alone, sir. [1] Sodomites, I used to assume, but apparently not. [2] "in a lake-like fashion" SignatureNat ----- "...it dawned on me, marriage shouldn't be this much work." ---/Will & Grace/. "William, Tell" >> I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no >> idea what you're on about. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >"fundies" (rhymes with "undies", AFAIK), which is slang for >"fundamentalist Christians"[1]. Aha! Penny duly dropped. Indeed, I had never in my mind's eye pronounced it as anything but foondy, thus compeletely failed to detect any connection with the hell-fire and brimstone crowd of fundys. Funny how one can have such a blind spot. But now that you mention it...Solomon Grundy comes to mind. And that in turn (ObFood) takes us to salmagundi. For which I have no idea how it is pronounced as I've never heard it uttered, only read about it. Jitze >Aha! Penny duly dropped. Indeed, I had never in my mind's >eye pronounced it as anything but foondy, thus compeletely >failed to detect any connection with the hell-fire and brimstone >crowd of fundys. Funny how one can have such a blind spot. Whooshed right by me as well. I thought fundi and Fundy (as in Bay of) were pronounced quite differently. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>Aha! Penny duly dropped. Indeed, I had never in my mind's >>eye pronounced it as anything but foondy, thus compeletely [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >I thought fundi and Fundy (as in Bay of) were pronounced quite differently. Interesting. It would never have occurred to me to say "foondi". Fundie, Fundy, fundi. Alla same. >>>Aha! Penny duly dropped. Indeed, I had never in my mind's >>>eye pronounced it as anything but foondy, thus compeletely [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Interesting. It would never have occurred to me to say "foondi". >Fundie, Fundy, fundi. Alla same. Well it's similar to "bundu", the u in most Bantu languages is pronounced like the oo in "book" (outside Yorkshire). I wonder if bundu is related to boondocks? The meaning is similar. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > Well it's similar to "bundu", the u in most Bantu languages is > pronounced like the oo in "book" (outside Yorkshire). > > I wonder if bundu is related to boondocks? > > The meaning is similar. Well, "boondocks" is derived from the Tagalog "bundok", meaning mountain. It referred to a wilderness area before it was extended to rural areas. The OEDS gives a singular "boondock"; the RHU1 doesn't, and relates the -s ending to the expression "the sticks". Neither one lists the variant "boonies", which is familiar to me, especially in the expression "way out in the boonies". It's an expression that a city-lover might use to refer to the outermost parts of a metropolitan area. Google searching turns up examples where it refers to actual rural areas, presumably far from a city. SignatureMark Brader, Toronto "Logic is logic. That's all I say." msb@vex.net -- Oliver Wendell Holmes My text in this article is in the public domain. >>> I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no >>> idea what you're on about. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >no idea how it is pronounced as I've never heard it uttered, only >read about it. 'Sal' as in 'cat': 'ma' as in 'rat': 'gun' as in 'bun': 'di' as in 'piss'. Salmagundi: a sandwich containing mixed pet and vermin, flavoured with urine. Yum. SignatureRobin Herts, England >>>> I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no >>>> idea what you're on about. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >in 'piss'. Salmagundi: a sandwich containing mixed pet and >vermin, flavoured with urine. Yum. Thanks, I didn't know that. But I would have pronounced it salmagoondi, to rhyme with "fundi". SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>>>> I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no >>>>> idea what you're on about. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > >But I would have pronounced it salmagoondi, to rhyme with "fundi". I doubt that I've heard it pronounced on BBC radio more than a handful of times. Here's what Wikipedia has to say: "Etymology The word salmagundi is derived from the French word salmigondis which means disparate assembly of things, ideas or people, forming an incoherent whole. Salmagundi is used figuratively in modern English to mean a mixture or assortment of things. The name was later corrupted to Solomon Gundy in the eighteenth century. It seems likely that the name is connected with the children’s rhyme, Solomon Grundy. Solomon Gundy retains its food connotation today as the name given to a spicy Caribbean paste made of mashed pickled-herrings, peppers and onions." I reckon from that that the "gun" pronunciation is probably right. SignatureRobin Herts, England >>>>>> I'm afraid you've "whooshed" me old chap. I have no >>>>>> idea what you're on about. [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >I reckon from that that the "gun" pronunciation is probably >right. FWIW: some 25 years ago, and maybe even today, there's a "Salmagundi Club" on 5th Ave somewhere around 13th st, on the east side of the street. (in Manhattan) David >I found "fundis" online- a South African word meaning expert. The >reference didn't make clear whether it was the same in singular and >plural. Is it? One fundi, two fundis. It's borrowed from the Zulu/Xhosa (Nguni) word funda, meaning read or learn. In Zulu umfundi = learner, learned person, scholar, abafundi is the plural. But in Anglicising Zulu words the usual practice is to drop the prefix, and form the plural by the usual English suffix, s. The reverse process is used when borrowing words and phrases from English (isiNgisi) into Zulu (isiZulu) -- Zulu prefixes are added. So you often hear football commentators talking about "i-offside trap". SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>I found "fundis" online- a South African word meaning expert. The >>reference didn't make clear whether it was the same in singular and [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >So you often hear football commentators talking about "i-offside trap". Thanks. SignatureJohn >I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel >Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >wonder if "entity" has a meaning in American English that it doesn't have >elsewhere. I would suppose that your objection to "entity" is that the meaning is "something that has real existence", and that a ghost is neither real nor something in existence. Without reading Hecht's book, though, I would also suppose that Hecht's observations are that Navajo's *do* believe that the ghosts *are* real. In this case, Hecht's use of "entities" serves to underline this belief. I find it mildly objectionable that you would classify this use of "entities" to be American. What is "American" about it? The only "American" tie that I can conceive of is that there are more American writers penning books about belief in spirits (including those in the Christian sphere) than there are, say, Scottish writers. For a usage to be an Americanism it would have to be something written or said by Americans that is not written or said by writers in English from countries other than America. Further, in this case, there would have to be a large enough corpus of writing on the subject by both American and non-American authors where it can be clearly determined that the usage is limited to American authors. Is this the case? Probably not so on the subject of American Indian religious beliefs, but possibly on the subject of atheist polemics. SignatureTony Cooper Orlando, FL >>I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel >>Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >"something that has real existence", and that a ghost is neither real >nor something in existence. No, that's not my objection. To me an entity is something that exists, or is seen to exist, independently of other things. The novel was dealing with possession, and calling it and "entity" seemed to confuse the kind of parasite-host relationship. My wife, who also read the book, also found that the term jarred, but she thought it was like people who talk about "modules" or "units" because they didn't want to be more specific. >Without reading Hecht's book, though, I would also suppose that >Hecht's observations are that Navajo's *do* believe that the ghosts [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >writers penning books about belief in spirits (including those in the >Christian sphere) than there are, say, Scottish writers. My observation is that it is mostly American writers who used the term in that way, so I was hoping that speakers of AmE could explain how the term is used in their understanding of it, to see if there is a significant difference from other varieties of English. >For a usage to be an Americanism it would have to be something written >or said by Americans that is not written or said by writers in English [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Is this the case? Probably not so on the subject of American Indian >religious beliefs, but possibly on the subject of atheist polemics. I checked my own usage of the word "entity" over the last 40 years or so, and could only find three examples. I applied it to God, a mountain and a hospital. In all three cases I was using it to emphasie distinctness from surroundings or other objects. God (in the Berkelyan sense), a mountain that seemed different from the surrounding country, and a hospital seen as an institution distinct from other institutions. I'm curious about how others use the term, and whether they would use it for a ghost or spirit. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > >>I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel > >>Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >>wonder if "entity" has a meaning in American English that it doesn't have > >>elsewhere. [snip Tony's comments] > To me an entity is something that exists, or is seen to exist, independently > of other things. The novel was dealing with possession, and calling it and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > thought it was like people who talk about "modules" or "units" because they > didn't want to be more specific. ... That's how I'd take it--like "being". Possibly the point is to emphasize that no more specific classification is available because we know so little about ghosts, or even that the characters don't know whether the being possessing someone is a ghost (not a devil, an alien, a person equipped with mind-control devices, an alternate personality of the victim, or anything else). Also, because of the need for non-specific words when talking about the supernatural, "entity" may have acquired some supernatural connotations, though less strongly than "apparition" and "visitation". This might be true only in America. > I checked my own usage of the word "entity" over the last 40 years or so, and > could only find three examples. I applied it to God, a mountain and a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I'm curious about how others use the term, and whether they would use it for a > ghost or spirit. The lexicographers at Oxford use it as follows: "A thing that has a real existence, as opp. to a relation, function, etc." They don't mention emphasizing distinctness. Maybe that's a South African usage? -- Jerry Friedman >> >>I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel >> >>Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >connotations, though less strongly than "apparition" and >"visitation". This might be true only in America. Someone posted a comment on by blog pointing out that there was a film called "The entity" that dealt with the subject of spirit possession, so perhaps that is why iy was used. I was aware of a story (science fiction) called "The entity" though the subject was as much as device as anything else. >> I checked my own usage of the word "entity" over the last 40 years or so, and >> could only find three examples. I applied it to God, a mountain and a [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >real existence, as opp. to a relation, function, etc." They don't >mention emphasizing distinctness. Maybe that's a South African usage? Could be, or it may just be my idiolect. Perhaps, like Daniel, I should ask users of the term "Why did you say 'entity'?" as he does with "sans" or "rare". SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > I was aware of a story (science fiction) called "The entity" though the > subject was as much as device as anything else. It's been common jargon in science fiction writing for 40 years or more, a shorthand for "sentient entity" used to designate any kind of sentient presence that's hard to define or name, be it noncorporeal, composite, mechanical, or whatever. In using it to talk about a noncorporeal sentience that possesses a host in order to take physical action, the point is that the "entity" is something distinct from the mind of the person possessed. ¬R >> I was aware of a story (science fiction) called "The entity" though the >> subject was as much as device as anything else. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >point is that the "entity" is something distinct from the mind of the >person possessed. Thanks, I think that is a useful distinction, and helps to clarify the concept. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk [...] > Also, because of the need for non-specific words when talking about > the supernatural, "entity" may have acquired some supernatural > connotations, though less strongly than "apparition" and > "visitation". This might be true only in America. [...] No, I've seen it used that way over here, too. Ghosts, "elementals", evil spirits, fairies, whatever you've got, become "entities" when the writer either doesn't know which it is or wants to refer to more than one kind. SignatureMike. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com >[...] >> Also, because of the need for non-specific words when talking about [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >writer either doesn't know which it is or wants to refer to more than >one kind. Possibly lurking silently and invisibly in the shadows during this thread is THE ghostly presence The Howard Entity. Of course THE might find the ghostly prescence stuff a bit difficult following reincarnation. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>[...] >>> Also, because of the need for non-specific words when talking about [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >Of course THE might find the ghostly prescence stuff a bit >difficult following reincarnation. You're a cunning ham; you beat me to it. SignatureRobin Herts, England >>I would suppose that your objection to "entity" is that the meaning is >>"something that has real existence", and that a ghost is neither real [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >of other things. The novel was dealing with possession, and calling it and >"entity" seemed to confuse the kind of parasite-host relationship. I'm trying to determine what can exist completely independently of other things. That's a short list. The most common usage of "entity" in the US is as a description of a business or corporation as in "the entity known as Ajax Holdings, Inc". The corporate entity extends to all of the various divisions, departments, and subsidiaries. It is far from independent of other things since shareholders and employees are part of it. I'm at a loss in understanding the "parasite-host relationship" in a discussion of spirits. Neither lives off of the other in what I would consider a parasitic relationship. I assume the "possession" you refer is not the possession of ownership, but the "possession" of "possessed by a spirit or a demon or by madness". >My observation is that it is mostly American writers who used the term in that >way, so I was hoping that speakers of AmE could explain how the term is used >in their understanding of it, to see if there is a significant difference from >other varieties of English. This would imply that English-speaking writers of many nationalities write about the same subject, and only the American writers use the word "entity" in describing a spirit. This could be true, but is the corpus of writing on this by authors of many nationalities large enough to make this determination and studied enough to make this conclusion? >I'm curious about how others use the term, and whether they would use it for a >ghost or spirit. Would or could or might? I think I might use it if I was describing a person who considered that the ghost haunting his house was "a spirit entity" to point out that I thought that the person sincerely felt that the spirit was a real presence; a discrete unit that inhabited his house. That's a "might", though, since that phrase would have to occur to me in the writing process and not as a result of a study of ghost inhabitants. Whether or not that same phrase would occur to an Englishman is unknown to me. SignatureTony Cooper Orlando, FL >>>I would suppose that your objection to "entity" is that the meaning is >>>"something that has real existence", and that a ghost is neither real [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >departments, and subsidiaries. It is far from independent of other >things since shareholders and employees are part of it. Let me put it in context to show what I meant: The rest of the time we spent discussing the universe and God and metaphysics, and talked about the theory that everything we experienced was entirely subjective and that God was the only objective entity. We also looked at the Quicunque vult to illustra- te this. With the sun moving behind it, the mountain looked dark and mysterious. Gerry said it looked like Mordor, with its dryness and thirstiness, but I don't think so. It is magic, but not evil. It feels independent, an entity of its own, beyond good or evil. It is just there. Men can come and their hearts may be good or evil, but Omukuruwaro stands above them, it is not affected. It is proud and lonely and inscrutable. Men cannot reach its heart. Mr Flay, the hospital administrator, was there, and in a discussion about water he seemed to think that the hospital was an entity totally on its own, having nothing to do with the rest of the church. The last refers to a meeting of a board of a church conference centre, which was on the same farm as a church hospital and other institutions, which shared common resources. Mr Flay was not interested in cooperating with the other institutions in arranging the water supply -- that kind of "independence", >I'm at a loss in understanding the "parasite-host relationship" in a >discussion of spirits. Neither lives off of the other in what I would >consider a parasitic relationship. I assume the "possession" you >refer is not the possession of ownership, but the "possession" of >"possessed by a spirit or a demon or by madness". Well I think there is a relationship between the meanings of "possession" in relation to ownership, but that migth take us into the byways of theological and legal dsicussion. Like "possession is nine-tenths of the law". You can be in possession of stolen property, but that doesn't mean that you own it. And a spirit in pssession of a person doesn't "own" the person, but may control the person for a longer or shorter period, and only manifests itself through controlling the person -- that is what I meant by a parasitic relationship. >>My observation is that it is mostly American writers who used the term in that >>way, so I was hoping that speakers of AmE could explain how the term is used [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >enough to make this determination and studied enough to make this >conclusion? That's what I'm hoping to find out. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >My observation is that it is mostly American writers who used the term in that >way, so I was hoping that speakers of AmE could explain how the term is used >in their understanding of it, to see if there is a significant difference from >other varieties of English. Maybe it is because I would fall under your classification of a " database fundi " but I have used it as part of my active vocabulary most of my professional life - and never thought of it as a computer-related term - although on reflection that's where I would come across it the most. But I think it is more a question of being a useful word wherever you want to talk about an abstraction of some kind rather tham a specific instance. And that is done a lot by computer people - but it isn't only in that sector that this occurs. (Computer geeks also use the word "object" to cover similar ground) The specific use that I am most familiar with at this time is the concept of an "html entity", an abstract notion of which a number of specific examples are defined: http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/entities/ these being further sub-divided into Latin, Greek amd Symbols, and "other". Jitze Steve Hayes wrote, re usage of "entity": > I'm curious about how others use the term, and whether > they would use > it for a ghost or spirit. Yes, I would use it. I've read, in my lifetime, many books about ghosts and spirits and related issues, and the usage of "entity" does not strike me at all as odd. However, I've never /heard/ someone use "entity" to mean a ghost. I've just read it, and understood it because of context. I can't recall if all the authors involved were American. Maria [snip] > I find it mildly objectionable that you would classify this use of > "entities" to be American. What is "American" about it? The only > "American" tie that I can conceive of is that there are more American > writers penning books about belief in spirits (including those in the > Christian sphere) than there are, say, Scottish writers. [snip] The word "entity" has been a mighty workhouse in American statutes and case decisions because of its ability to stand in, generically, for persons, partnershiips, corporations, cooperatives, and other legally created bodies (the word "bodies" would seem to carry too much sexual baggge). Other countries have used the word the same way, but I think the media here have maybe used the term more, so I think I can see some sort of association between the word and "chiefly" American usage. -- Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego "tinwhistler" <ozziemaland@post.harvard.edu> wrote : > [snip] > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > usage. > -- It appears to have entered UK government-speak, although I was unaware of it until just now. While submitting my VAT (value-added tax) return online, I noted the following paragraph: "If you have submitted this VAT Return on behalf of the VAT Registered entity, you must print this acknowledgement and present to the account holder / authorised signatory of the account prior to the stated Direct Debit collection date." (this is exactly as it appears, with same caps, missing word, "slash sandwich", and arguable missing comma) Philip Eden On Dec 4, 5:10 am, "Philip Eden" <philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom> wrote: [snip] > It appears to have entered UK government-speak, although I was > unaware of it until just now. [snip] I notice in my current Australian tour materials this disclaimer: "Care has been taken to ensure legitimate usage of any copyright material. Tourism New South Wales welcomes any information from *entities* who believe their copyright may have been infringed by this publication." So, this legal or "government-speak" term is definitely found in many countries. (In my "list" of legally-created bodies, I should have included trusts and associations, which are extremely prevalent, even if I was just mentioning a few legal entities off the top of my head.) -- Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego hayesmstw@hotmail.com had it ... > I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel > Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > if anyone is interested. Captain Picard had to battle the Crystalline Entity, possibly more than once. SignatureDavid >I recently finished reading an interesting novel, Land of echoes by Daniel >Hecht. It is a kind of ghost story, based on beliefs of the Navajo people in [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >if anyone is interested. The way I understand it, it is a word that allows that something exists, while carefully avoiding saying anything about its nature or characteristics. SignatureJohn |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.