Mar 26, 2014 20:39
10 yrs ago
English term
TRANSLATIONS THAT READ LIKE ORIGINALS
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
litigatory
English
Social Sciences
Journalism
word usage
Hello friends,
I just heard CNN's Alex Wagner utter the word "litigatory" in the following context. She was interviewing a guest about the news that some of the relatives of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 might sue the Malaysian government, as well as Boeing. I do not have the exact transcript, but she used the word in a phrase like "they're not as litigatory as we are in the US." The use of the word caught my attention immediately, and I would have dismissed it if her guest, who is an aviation attorney, had not replied to her with something like "as you said, we're much more litigatory in the US."
I would have used the word "litigious". Seems to me that the use of the word "litigatory" in this context is not just an odd choice of words, but plain wrong.
What say you?
I just heard CNN's Alex Wagner utter the word "litigatory" in the following context. She was interviewing a guest about the news that some of the relatives of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 might sue the Malaysian government, as well as Boeing. I do not have the exact transcript, but she used the word in a phrase like "they're not as litigatory as we are in the US." The use of the word caught my attention immediately, and I would have dismissed it if her guest, who is an aviation attorney, had not replied to her with something like "as you said, we're much more litigatory in the US."
I would have used the word "litigious". Seems to me that the use of the word "litigatory" in this context is not just an odd choice of words, but plain wrong.
What say you?
Responses
| 5 +6 | litigious |
David Hollywood
|
Responses
+6
2 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
&
English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
10
Selected
litigious
I definitely wouldn't use litigatory
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Note added at 3 mins (2014-03-26 20:42:41 GMT)
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legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/litigiousEn caché
Similareslitigious adj. referring to a person who constantly brings or prolongs legal actions,
particularly when the legal maneuvers are unnecessary or unfounded.
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Note added at 6 mins (2014-03-26 20:46:05 GMT)
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I accept that "litigatory" may be used (and if it's been incorporated by some) but not the best choice and I would definitely stick with "litigious" here
60 years ago, there were no need for "death panels"--people accepted that they
were mortal, and didn't immediately adopt a ligitatory pose ...
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Note added at 8 mins (2014-03-26 20:48:04 GMT)
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sometimes words that are "plain wrong" enter the language by default but there we go ...
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Note added at 15 mins (2014-03-26 20:54:39 GMT)
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German has an expression for this: "der Sprachgebrauch hat entschieden" ... rough translation = common use of the word has made it acceptable but in some cases the "common use" comes a verypoor second ...
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Note added at 17 mins (2014-03-26 20:56:45 GMT)
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but if a word is used often enough by enough people, it gets included ...
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Note added at 40 mins (2014-03-26 21:20:29 GMT)
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so up to you sir :)
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Note added at 3 mins (2014-03-26 20:42:41 GMT)
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legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/litigiousEn caché
Similareslitigious adj. referring to a person who constantly brings or prolongs legal actions,
particularly when the legal maneuvers are unnecessary or unfounded.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2014-03-26 20:46:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I accept that "litigatory" may be used (and if it's been incorporated by some) but not the best choice and I would definitely stick with "litigious" here
60 years ago, there were no need for "death panels"--people accepted that they
were mortal, and didn't immediately adopt a ligitatory pose ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2014-03-26 20:48:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
sometimes words that are "plain wrong" enter the language by default but there we go ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2014-03-26 20:54:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
German has an expression for this: "der Sprachgebrauch hat entschieden" ... rough translation = common use of the word has made it acceptable but in some cases the "common use" comes a verypoor second ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2014-03-26 20:56:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
but if a word is used often enough by enough people, it gets included ...
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Note added at 40 mins (2014-03-26 21:20:29 GMT)
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so up to you sir :)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks! And for the record, Alex Wagner's show is actually on MSNBC. not CNN. "
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