Huh.

[conuly]

The etymology of "dean" has to do with being the leader of a group of ten. Next time somebody pulls out the "ugh, nobody uses decimate correctly" line, never mind that using decimate in its original sense would mean that we never got to use the word ever (thankfully, we do not use the execution of 1/10 of the population as a form of punishment in our society) I'm going to ask why they hold the line on that but not on dean.

If their objection is anything like the objection to literally but not really, I know I can expect dead silence as a response.

Comments

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

I never knew that. I suppose it doesn't have the "deci-" bit on the front that screams "this is to do with ten". I'll have to go and read about it: for one thing, it may actually matter for an army I was planning on building.

[redbird]

Endless examples: people say "he's driving a semi" without it actually being half of something. And of course December hasn't been the tenth month since 1752, if not earlier.