Monday, July 07, 2008
New Meanings 5
Where did 'referenced' come from? I just received an email saying 'the paper referenced...'. It means 'referred to...'. Dictionary.com has reference has a verb so I suppose it's respectable, but I don't think we should go down without a fight.
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A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
Personally, if I used 'referenced' I would be actually citing some other source in an academic sense. It is a little more technical than 'referred to'. I might refer to the weather, but I would reference a meteorological report. That's just me, anyway.
ReplyDeleteOk, that means that only academics need use 'referenced' and us proles (and Bryan) can stick to 'referred to'.
ReplyDeleteAre you looking for a phyte?
ReplyDeleteSince I am a neophyte I must decline your kind invitation but I loved your pun!
ReplyDeleteAs you've spent so much time in the United States recently, this was not the post on contemporary usage I expected to find. For some strange reason, waiters and waitresses here have collectively decided to address everyone as "you guys," as in "How are you guys doing?", "What are you guys having", "Are you guys enjoying your meal?", "Thanks, you guys, for coming", and "Have a nice day, you guys." I find it grating, particularly when one of "us guys" is quite obviously not a guy but a female.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit surprised when a few years ago I ran across the absolute use of "refers": something like "Chapter 7 refers" (followed by a full stop). Is this an antique usage only preserved in some circles? Is it a recent invention? Or have I simply had a very sheltered life?
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