Comments on: Even Restaurant Critics Can Be President

By: jayackroyd

jayackroyd — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:18:12 +0000

Yeah, my OED says much the same. If I'm to hold to my position, I have to note that the correct usage first shows up in the 15th century, while the recent misusage shows up in the 18th.

By: triscribe » Stuff in the New Year

triscribe » Stuff in the New Year — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:28:28 +0000

[...] got President-Elect Obama talking about his favorite food in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago; Michael Scherer of Time Magazine posted the video and his commentary on Time.com’s Swampland b.... Scherer’s comment amused me: “I envision a return to presidential politics for Frank [...]

By: lupercal5

lupercal5 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:48:30 +0000

how about we take a little break from our semantic discussion and point out that he was just randomly brought to this pbs show and was just supposed to be an extra dude in there (they were one guy short, or so goes the story). he just somehow kinda dominated the whole show without even trying...lol he's got a decent presence. lol

By: michaelscherer

michaelscherer — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:33:54 +0000

Jay, I'm not sure I am the bad actor here. According to my Fowler's Modern English usage, gourmand first came to mean "a judge of good eating" in the mid 18th century, thanks to writers like Coleridge, Darwin and Charlotte Bronte. Fowler's does mention, as you suggest, a move in the 20th century to distinguish gourmand from gourmet, with gourmand being restricted to its 15th century meaning--glutton. But as several current dictionaries attest, the word still has multiple meanings, and I am not their author.

By: Obama As Food Critic - The Plank

Obama As Food Critic - The Plank — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:18:49 +0000

[...] (H/t Michael Scherer) [...]

By: Obama as Food Critic - The Stump

Obama as Food Critic - The Stump — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:41:56 +0000

[...] (H/t Michael Scherer) [...]

By: jayackroyd

jayackroyd — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:40:43 +0000

MS-
.
That's only so through repeated misusage. It's like "scan" coming to mean both to read carefully and to skim. You can make a descriptive case for this--but it is because of repeated misuse.

By: Andy from MA

Andy from MA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:38:53 +0000

Yes

By: kbanginmotown

kbanginmotown — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:27:54 +0000

OT to commentors: Anyone here missing K-Tum like I am?

By: michaelscherer

michaelscherer — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:18:02 +0000

jay, epicures and gluttons are both subsets of the group called gourmands (at least most of the time). Bruni is both epicure and gourmand, though not a glutton.