Just like how "mad" became "angry" instead of "crazy" in American English, or how "bade" more often rhymes with "fade" instead of "sad", the meaning of "begging the question" is becoming "begging one to ask the question".
It's a battle even less worth fighting, because "begging the question" in the old meaning doesn't serve any really useful purpose that can't be served more clearly by "assuming the conclusion" in most cases, and may itself be the product of a mistranslation from Greek to Latin to English. See: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2290
I understand your point and have sympathy for it, but I just can't go along with it. I know it's just the grumpy old man in me, but I still prefer to push back (gently, I hope) against the misuse of words and phrases.
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That question is raised, not begged.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question
Just like how "mad" became "angry" instead of "crazy" in American English, or how "bade" more often rhymes with "fade" instead of "sad", the meaning of "begging the question" is becoming "begging one to ask the question".
It's a battle even less worth fighting, because "begging the question" in the old meaning doesn't serve any really useful purpose that can't be served more clearly by "assuming the conclusion" in most cases, and may itself be the product of a mistranslation from Greek to Latin to English. See: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2290
I understand your point and have sympathy for it, but I just can't go along with it. I know it's just the grumpy old man in me, but I still prefer to push back (gently, I hope) against the misuse of words and phrases.
I think you mean "against the use of words and phrases", as it is not a misuse to give them their current meanings. ;)
This is rapidly turning into Humpty-Dumpty-ism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty#In_Through_the_Lo...