Michael Doelle wrote:


>I find definiations in a dictionary.  The fact that they change over time
is
why dictionaries are reprinted periodically.  Where do you finds yours?

Well, you are actually partly right, in the sense that 'definition' may be
defined (hehe) as a 'statement of the meaning of a word'. However, this
does not mean that any lexicographer ever 'defined' any words. That's not
what they do. The words were already there and already had a meaning,
nobody had to define them.

When the earliest dictionaries were compiled, the authors went to great
lenghts to research the usage of words. And that is what they still do
today. Dictionaries are reprinted because *usage* changes, not because
nything needs to be redefined, after all, the original meanings haven't
become incorrect. And of course because new words appear.

There's no practical difference between a change in usage and a change in
definition.

>In this country, this is the official name for the race, just as Caucasian
is for mine.  Be offended if you like, but if you wish to be recognized as
a member of this ethnic group, you're going to have to get over checking the
box that says "negro."<

I've participated in  a few censuses in the US. I could have sworn I saw
African-American on those forms. But there are probably zillions of gummint
 forms that I've never seen.

African American is a term no loger in favor either, for a number of
reasons, not the least of which being that a great many black, or brown if
you prefer, people do not associate with Africa and never have.  Believe it
or not, the current politically correct term is "people of color" which, as
you might imagine, includes everybody except white people who, of course,
aren't white anyway.

Anyway, in which way exactly was the Holocaust relevant to the 'oriental'
discussion?

I don't remember.  This thread started off on ecology and wound up here.
It's too much to follow where it went in between and, to be honest, no
longer of particular interest.  I've got people coming in from all over the
U.S. and Canada for a dive tomorrow and Thursday and need to finalize the
plans.  Then there's Columbus day, this weekend.  The motors are back in the
boat and I spent the last two days doing all the things I had not done over
the last few months.  We're almost ready to  go.

Lee