Obviating

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Athel Cornish-Bowden - 20 May 2009 14:00 GMT

http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/blog.jsp?type=blog&o_ur
l=blog/display/55679&id=55679:

"The

Scientist obtained two 2003 issues of the journal -- which bore the
imprint of Elsevier's Excerpta Medica -- neither of which carried a
statement obviating Merck's sponsorship of the publication."

This seems to make sense only if "obviating" means "making obvious",
but I've only ever come across it before meaning "doing away with" or
"avoiding".

[OT:] The article ends with a quotation from an Elsevier spokesman:

"I understand this issue has troubled our communities of authors,
editors, customers and employees," Hansen added in the statement. "But
I can assure all that the integrity of Elsevier's publications and
business practices remains intact."

to which one can only say "oh yes?"

Signature

athel

Reply to this Message

James Hogg - 20 May 2009 14:19 GMT

>http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/blog.jsp?type=blog&o_ur
l=blog/display/55679&id=55679:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>to which one can only say "oh yes?"

I suppose the mistake is understandable in that the adjective
"obvious" is common while the verb "obviate" is rare, and the
latter is semantically attracted to "obvious" rather than the
other way around.

It's interesting how the meaning of the two words diverged from
the original sense of being "in the way", either exposed in full
view or blocking the road to prevent something.

Signature

James

Reply to this Message

Paul Wolff - 20 May 2009 16:13 GMT

>On Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:39 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
><athel_cb@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>>
>>to which one can only say "oh yes?"

I've seen it used by a US Patent Office examiner objecting to a patent
application, by asserting that one or more prior publications "obviate"
the claimed invention. The applicant doesn't get anywhere in a case like
that by being logical in reply, so we pretended that the word meant
'render obvious' and argued accordingly.

>I suppose the mistake is understandable in that the adjective
>"obvious" is common while the verb "obviate" is rare, and the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>the original sense of being "in the way", either exposed in full
>view or blocking the road to prevent something.

In the realm of patents it carries the idea of lying in the road so that
a traveller choosing to take that highway would be bound to stumble over
it.

Signature

Paul

Reply to this Message

Wilbur Wiggins - 20 May 2009 22:14 GMT

>http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/blog.jsp?type=blog&o_ur
l=blog/display/55679&id=55679:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>to which one can only say "oh yes?"

Several years ago, on our local PBS station, there was a striking case
of similar misconception of meaning. A man who did running commentary
on Engllsh soccer games had decided that "panacea" was an intensified
way to say "panic." A tense moment would arise, with, for example,
the attackers trying desperately to put the ball in the net, and the
defenders trying equally desperately to stop them. Mario Machado, the
announcer, would say excitedly, "Panacea!"

He eventually apologized on the air for his error, presumably after
receiving lots of mail about it.

Signature

Wilbur Wiggins, American English

Reply to this Message

R H Draney - 20 May 2009 23:18 GMT

Wilbur Wiggins filted:

>Several years ago, on our local PBS station, there was a striking case
>of similar misconception of meaning. A man who did running commentary
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>He eventually apologized on the air for his error, presumably after
>receiving lots of mail about it.

And that fixed everything....r

Signature

A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?

Reply to this Message

Wilbur Wiggins - 21 May 2009 00:39 GMT

>Wilbur Wiggins filted:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>And that fixed everything....r

Furz I know.

Reply to this Message

SherLok Merfy - 21 May 2009 06:45 GMT

> On 20 May 2009 15:18:30 -0700, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Furz I know.

That the word is synonymous with "obliviating" or "obscuring" kind of
puts that up in the air, because sonicly it sounds rooted in
"Obvious".
_______
http://www.google.ca/search?q=Spammerz+suk+yuuraynus+tiL+they%27re+fuL+uv+politiks

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009

Obviating