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Despicable = de + spicable?

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Dr. HotSalt

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Dec 23, 2016, 4:48:37 PM12/23/16
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In another group Pinterest is being discussed.

Some people apparently can't view their content without signing up and disabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and ad-blockers (e. g., uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest is gathering email addresses to sell to third parties who will spam Pinterest users.

This is regarded by some as "despicable".

In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional email from Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because it's similar to other content I've already viewed, but no increase in other spam. This has been going on for some time, from which I deduce that Piterest has not sold my email address to spammers.

I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.

Yes, I know, "honorable".

But why not "spicable"?


Dr. HotSalt

bebe...@aol.com

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Dec 23, 2016, 6:05:58 PM12/23/16
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The question sounds jocular but is etymologically tricky: "despicable" comes from Latin "despicere" (despise), which is composed of "de" + "spicere" (look), where the "de" prefix isn't privative, but means "down" or "down from" (BTW a literal English translation of "spicere" is "look down on".

On these grounds, if "spicable" existed, it would just mean "that can be looked at", and wouldn't be an antonym of "despicable".

>
>
> Dr. HotSalt

bebe...@aol.com

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Dec 23, 2016, 6:17:17 PM12/23/16
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Le samedi 24 décembre 2016 00:05:58 UTC+1, bebe...@aol.com a écrit :
> Le vendredi 23 décembre 2016 22:48:37 UTC+1, Dr. HotSalt a écrit :
> > In another group Pinterest is being discussed.
> >
> > Some people apparently can't view their content without signing up and disabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and ad-blockers (e. g., uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest is gathering email addresses to sell to third parties who will spam Pinterest users.
> >
> > This is regarded by some as "despicable".
> >
> > In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional email from Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because it's similar to other content I've already viewed, but no increase in other spam. This has been going on for some time, from which I deduce that Piterest has not sold my email address to spammers.
> >
> > I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.
> >
> > Yes, I know, "honorable".
> >
> > But why not "spicable"?
>
> The question sounds jocular but is etymologically tricky: "despicable" comes from Latin "despicere" (despise), which is composed of "de" + "spicere" (look), where the "de" prefix isn't privative, but means "down" or "down from" (BTW a literal English translation of

> "spicere"

Of course I meant "despicere".

Harvey

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Dec 23, 2016, 7:14:34 PM12/23/16
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On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 13:48:34 -0800 (PST), "Dr. HotSalt"
<alie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In another group Pinterest is being discussed.


> Some people apparently can't view their content without signing
up and di=
> sabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and ad-blockers
(e. g., =
> uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest is gathering email
address=
> es to sell to third parties who will spam Pinterest users.

> This is regarded by some as "despicable".

> In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional
email from =
> Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because it's
similar to=
> other content I've already viewed, but no increase in other spam.
This has=
> been going on for some time, from which I deduce that Piterest has
not sol=
> d my email address to spammers.


> I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.

"Despicable"has been skunked for me ever since I heard Daffy Duck say
"You're dethpicable". (Which was a long, long time ago.)

Never been able to use the word without lisping and smiling....

--
Cheers, Harvey
CanE (30 years) & BrE (34 years), indiscriminately mixed

Peter T. Daniels

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Dec 23, 2016, 11:03:35 PM12/23/16
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On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 6:17:17 PM UTC-5, bebe...@aol.com wrote:
> Le samedi 24 décembre 2016 00:05:58 UTC+1, bebe...@aol.com a écrit :
> > Le vendredi 23 décembre 2016 22:48:37 UTC+1, Dr. HotSalt a écrit :
> > > In another group Pinterest is being discussed.

> > > Some people apparently can't view their content without signing up and disabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and ad-blockers (e. g., uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest is gathering email addresses to sell to third parties who will spam Pinterest users.
> > > This is regarded by some as "despicable".
> > > In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional email from Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because it's similar to other content I've already viewed, but no increase in other spam. This has been going on for some time, from which I deduce that Piterest has not sold my email address to spammers.
> > > I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.
> > > Yes, I know, "honorable".
> > > But why not "spicable"?
> > The question sounds jocular but is etymologically tricky: "despicable" comes from Latin "despicere" (despise), which is composed of "de" + "spicere" (look), where the "de" prefix isn't privative, but means "down" or "down from" (BTW a literal English translation of
>
> > "spicere"
>
> Of course I meant "despicere".
>
> > is "look down on".

Well, if etymology were a guide to meaning.

bebe...@aol.com

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Dec 24, 2016, 12:04:16 AM12/24/16
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At least the example at hand shows it can help answer questions that would otherwise have no answer.

David Kleinecke

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Dec 24, 2016, 12:30:06 AM12/24/16
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That's how the canals were discovered on Mars.

CDB

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Dec 24, 2016, 11:35:06 AM12/24/16
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On 12/24/2016 12:30 AM, David Kleinecke wrote:
> bebe...@aol.com wrote:
>> Peter T. Daniels a écrit :
>>> bebe...@aol.com wrote:
>>>> bebe...@aol.com a écrit :
It can certainly help you to understand why you can't reverse the
meaning of "despicable" by dropping "de".

It's often a guide to usage, as I said the other day.

>> At least the example at hand shows it can help answer questions
>> that would otherwise have no answer.

> That's how the canals were discovered on Mars.

Not at all. The misreading of "canali" came about through ignorance, of
Italian or of the etymology of "canal".


David Kleinecke

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Dec 24, 2016, 12:31:35 PM12/24/16
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Wikipedia says otherwise. But I can't help thinking you missed
my point completely. I was referring to endogesis - reading solutions
into places where there are no problems.

bebe...@aol.com

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Dec 24, 2016, 12:52:45 PM12/24/16
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Then I look forward to your non-etymological explanation for the nonexistence of "spicable".

Dr. HotSalt

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Dec 24, 2016, 1:55:28 PM12/24/16
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I must admit I was inspired by the discussion about "spectator", spectacle, and so forth.

I am aware that the Romans considered that one should avoid seeking such attention and that actors and such were "despicable" because one should not look upon them. Hence something worthy of being looked upon, that was worthy of one's "regard", should be "spicable".

In the words of Thurston Howell III, I thought it "very posterous".


Dr. HotSalt

Dr. HotSalt

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Dec 24, 2016, 2:03:11 PM12/24/16
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On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 4:14:34 PM UTC-8, Harvey wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 13:48:34 -0800 (PST), "Dr. HotSalt"
> <alie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > In another group Pinterest is being discussed.
>
>
> > Some people apparently can't view their content without signing
> > up and disabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and ad-blockers
> > (e. g., uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest is gathering email
> > addresses to sell to third parties who will spam Pinterest users.
>
> > This is regarded by some as "despicable".
>
> > In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional
> > email from Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because it's
> > similar to other content I've already viewed, but no increase in other
> > spam. This has been going on for some time, from which I deduce that
> > Pinterest has not sol d my email address to spammers.
>
>
> > I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.
>
> "Despicable"has been skunked for me ever since I heard Daffy Duck say
> "You're dethpicable". (Which was a long, long time ago.)

Google's usage history of the word indicates a general decline in its popularity since ca. 1800, but a small positive bump ca. 2005 possibly coincident with Warner Bros. airing of The Animaniacs. Or not...

> Never been able to use the word without lisping and smiling....

I have always been a fan of the Little Black Duck.


Dr. HotSalt

David Kleinecke

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Dec 24, 2016, 9:34:34 PM12/24/16
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If this thread doesn't stop immediately I will explain
that despicable means what that what Trump wants is possible
and the US is despicable because all the Mexicans can be
removed.

CDB

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Dec 25, 2016, 7:28:06 AM12/25/16
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On 12/24/2016 12:31 PM, David Kleinecke wrote:
> CDB wrote:
>> David Kleinecke wrote:

[despicable etymology]

>>> That's how the canals were discovered on Mars.

>> Not at all. The misreading of "canali" came about through
>> ignorance, of Italian or of the etymology of "canal".

> Wikipedia says otherwise. But I can't help thinking you missed my
> point completely. I was referring to endogesis - reading solutions
> into places where there are no problems.

Maybe that's it. Sorry, if so.


Dr. HotSalt

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Dec 25, 2016, 4:24:48 PM12/25/16
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On Saturday, December 24, 2016 at 6:34:34 PM UTC-8, David Kleinecke wrote:
> On Saturday, December 24, 2016 at 11:03:11 AM UTC-8, Dr. HotSalt wrote:
> > On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 4:14:34 PM UTC-8, Harvey wrote:
> > > On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 13:48:34 -0800 (PST), "Dr. HotSalt"
> > > <alie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > In another group Pinterest is being discussed.
> > >
> > >
> > > > Some people apparently can't view their content without signing
> > > > up and disabling their Javascript blockers (e. g. NoScript) and
> > > > ad-blockers (e. g., uh, AdBlocker) and are suspicious that Pinterest
> > > > is gathering email addresses to sell to third parties who will spam
> > > > Pinterest users.
> > >
> > > > This is regarded by some as "despicable".
> > >
> > > > In my experience, signing up merely garners me the occasional
> > > > email from Pinterest featuring links to content I "might like" because
> > > > it's similar to other content I've already viewed, but no increase in
> > > > other spam. This has been going on for some time, from which I deduce
> > > > that Pinterest has not sold my email address to spammers.
> > >
> > >
> > > > I consider that to be quite spicable of Pinterest.
> > >
> > > "Despicable"has been skunked for me ever since I heard Daffy Duck say
> > > "You're dethpicable". (Which was a long, long time ago.)
> >
> > Google's usage history of the word indicates a general decline in its
> > popularity since ca. 1800, but a small positive bump ca. 2005 possibly
> > coincident with Warner Bros. airing of The Animaniacs. Or not...
> >
> > > Never been able to use the word without lisping and smiling....
> >
> > I have always been a fan of the Little Black Duck.
>
> If this thread doesn't stop immediately I will explain
> that despicable means what that what Trump wants is possible
> and the US is despicable because all the Mexicans can be
> removed.

You must be trolling me.

Nevertheless, I am compelled to ask- shouldn't that be "deplorable"?

"Let's make America plorable again!"


Dr. Hot"Earth-shattering kaboom"Salt

David Kleinecke

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Dec 25, 2016, 4:35:28 PM12/25/16
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Ah heck - you missed my little joke.
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