Factiods

On Wed, 21 May 2008 00:09:13 -0700 (PDT), Marko Amnell
<marko_amnell@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>On 21 touko, 10:07, Steve Hayes <hayesm...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> On Tue, 20 May 2008 02:30:47 -0700 (PDT), Marko Amnell
>>
>> <marko_amn...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> >On 20 touko, 09:42, Marko Amnell <marko_amn...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>
>> >> The most interesting theorist of this new model
>> >> of economic development is Sergei Karaganov.
>>
>> >Interesting factoid about Karaganov from wikipedia:
>>
>> >"Karaganov is the only intellectual from the former
>> >Soviet Union listed in the 2005 Global Intellectuals Poll,
>> >and only one of four, with Pavol Demeš, Václav Havel
>> >and Slavoj Žižek, from Eastern Europe."
>>
>> Factoid?
>>
>> Does that mean it isn't true?
>
>Fair question. The original meaning of "factoid" was:
>
>"A factoid is a spurious (unverified, incorrect, or invented) "fact"
>intended to create or prolong public exposure or to manipulate
>public opinion. It appears in the Oxford English Dictionary[1] as
>"something which becomes accepted as fact, although it may
>not be true", "
>
>I was, however, using the word in its other, journalistic
>sense, namely:
>
>"The word factoid is now sometimes also used to mean a small
>piece of true but valueless or insignificant information, in contrast
>to the original definition. This has been popularized by the CNN
>Headline News TV channel, which, during the 1980s and 1990s,
>used to frequently include such a fact under the heading "factoid"
>during newscasts"
>
>Source of the above quotes:
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factoid

I understand it in the first sense.

I believe it was coined by Norman Mailer to describe something that
resembles
a fact but isn't, but comes to be believed by large numbers of people
because
of constant repetition in the media.

Perhaps the media are changing the meaning to take revenge on Mailer for
the
perceived slur.

But I think giving words contradictory meanisns destroys communication. 

Bloke on talk radio was saying the other day that he absolutely condoned
the
despicable xenophobic attacks on innocent foreigners. 


-- 
Steve 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