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Consequential meaning important

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Charles Leviton

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Mar 7, 2021, 8:12:44 AM3/7/21
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From a newspaper article
"Daniel Kaluuya has emerged as one of the most consequential leading men of his generation."
I am seeing this word consequential more and more being used in the sense of "something or somebody of importance, a difference maker". Has it always been the case or just another example of the evolution of language?

I am used to seeing the word consequence, or more commonly consequences, being used in phrases like "the consequences of not wearing a mask" but the adjective seems a new development.

Oğuz

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Mar 7, 2021, 9:27:24 AM3/7/21
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On Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 4:12:44 PM UTC+3, Charles Leviton wrote:
> From a newspaper article
> "Daniel Kaluuya has emerged as one of the most consequential leading men of his generation."
> I am seeing this word consequential more and more being used in the sense of "something or somebody of importance, a difference maker". Has it always been the case or just another example of the evolution of language?

Seems to have been the case for at least a couple centuries: https://www.oed.com/oed2/00047806 (see 6.a)

Peter T. Daniels

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Mar 7, 2021, 10:15:38 AM3/7/21
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Cf. "a person of consequence" -- and "of + NP" easily turns into "Adj," no?

Charles Leviton

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Mar 7, 2021, 1:21:08 PM3/7/21
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Yes, I am very familiar with person of consequence, but calling such a person a "consequential person" is fairly new to me.

Peter T. Daniels

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Mar 7, 2021, 3:52:57 PM3/7/21
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Sure, but a perfectly ordinary application of a perfectly ordinary
process of the English language.

Peter Moylan

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Mar 7, 2021, 7:47:04 PM3/7/21
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The journalist was thinking "I know the word I want ends in -ential, but
it has slipped my mind".

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW http://www.pmoylan.org

Eric Walker

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Mar 8, 2021, 3:04:27 AM3/8/21
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Would you find use of "inconsequential" in that or a similar sentence
surprising or unusual?


--
Cordially,
Eric Walker

Marius Hancu

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Mar 8, 2021, 11:43:33 PM3/8/21
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On Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 8:12:44 AM UTC-5, Charles Leviton wrote:
It's there for 4 centuries, but at the end of the list of meanings:

OED:
~~~
consequence

7.
Thesaurus »
a. In reference to persons: Importance in rank and position, social distinction. Cf. ‘quality’.
1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall (1811) 412 Such and such had made use of his Lordships name..to make themselves men of consequence.
~~~

Thus, it may sound unfamiliar or forced to some:-)

--
Marius Hancu
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