Comments on: Waxman Report: EPA ‘Decimated’ Clean Water Act

By: kahawa

kahawa — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:31:00 +0000

Actually, the quote is “the clean water program has been decimated as hundreds of enforcement cases have been dropped.” If you consider “the clean water program” to consist only of “hundreds of … cases,” or to number of employees, then, yes the hundreds of cases would be decimated by decreasing them by 1/10. However, I think the intent was to refer to the program as a whole, not only to a given number such as the number of cases. Therefore under the traditional definition, the usage is wrong. Not wrong under some dictionaries' definitions, but definitely under the traditional definition. Perhaps I should have been more precise in my definition and point out that decimate refers originally to decrease by one tenth in the number of people, items, rather than the size of a singular noun such as a group. I'm just nitpicking, but I believe I'm right … I'd love to see you show me why I wrong, given my definition. I grant that your definition may be more modern and less traditional! I do love to argue.

By: PizzedOff

PizzedOff — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:27:12 +0000

I am sick and tired about the degree to which corporate criminals have f*cked up this planet!

By: John Peterson

John Peterson — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:58:12 +0000

When poorly written pieces fail to give at least a little of the other side to the story, it usually means there's another side to the story. For example, what has Congress done with respect to funding – particularly in the last 2 years.

By: Coastal Girl

Coastal Girl — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:35:36 +0000

I hope this changes under the Obama adminstration. One of the problems is the lack of funding for enforcement personnel also.

By: kahawa

kahawa — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:31:00 +0000

By: PizzedOff

PizzedOff — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:27:12 +0000

I am sick and tired about the degree to which corporate criminals have f*cked up this planet!

By: John Peterson

John Peterson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:58:12 +0000

By: Coastal Girl

Coastal Girl — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:35:36 +0000

I hope this changes under the Obama adminstration. One of the problems is the lack of funding for enforcement personnel also.

By: Mike Lillis

Mike Lillis — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:53:55 +0000

You're certainly right that “decimate” is probably misused more often than not, but that's not the case here. Waxman is pointing to hundreds of investigative cases — out of thousands — that were hindered by the administration's interpretation of the Rapanos ruling. That seems to fit the definition pretty well.

By: kahawa

kahawa — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:28:36 +0000

You might want to pass on to your colleague, Spencer Ackerman (I heard him use the word on Rachel Maddow's AirAmerica show Monday night), this note: the word “decimate” means, in essence, “to destroy a tenth of.” It originally and certainly still does to me refer to a group or population, like an army that is decimated. Literally, to destroy one in ten. Think “decimal.” Its meaning has eroded over the years just as the word “impact” has turned from a noun into a vowel. I kind of like knowing the underlying origin of meaning of words and get a big kick out of it — thought you would, too. I gave up long ago on trying to preserve rules of syntax, correct vocabulary and grammar, and instead I just sit by and quietly amuse myself by hearing people say things they don't realize they're saying.