View Full Version : "cohort" is a collective noun, dammit!
ArmsMerchant
2008-12-26, 21:11
It annoys me when reporters misuse the word--often it is used as a synonym for crony, accomplice, or unindicted co-conspirator.
Cohort comes from the Latin, and referred to a group of soldiers--not unlike "squad" or "platoon."
A gang leader may have a cohort--his crew--but the individual gang members are NOT fucking "cohorts."
Just wanted to get that out of my system.
WritingANovel
2008-12-26, 23:01
Me and my cohorts of posses agree!
lol just kidding, OP. I learned something new today, thanks.
ArmsMerchant
2008-12-27, 22:26
Thanks--I figured SOMEONE would appreciate it.
Just think--now you too can appear pretentious and pedantic.
niggersexual
2008-12-27, 23:08
Do you get angry too when reporters use troop as a synonym for soldier?
Actually a cohort can correctly refer to a single individual
but only in certain branches of the life sciences
Mantikore
2008-12-28, 05:06
i never hear the word used much
-SpectraL
2008-12-29, 11:02
Just think--now you too can appear pretentious and pedantic.Well, there's not all that much room way up here, so please don't invite too, too many, as it may just start to become crowded before long. Thank-you, kind sir.
While we're on the subject it irritates me when people misuse the word 'decimate'
it means to kill one in every ten not to destroy most of something fools
ArmsMerchant
2008-12-29, 21:03
While we're on the subject it irritates me when people misuse the word 'decimate'
it means to kill one in every ten not to destroy most of something fools
I share yout pain.
My guess is, since the word sounds a little like "devastate" ignorant sluts think it must be a synonym.
Martian Luger King
2008-12-29, 21:13
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=decimate
LOL at totse linguistics. Yeah tell it to them you pretentious fucking peasants.
^^^That.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cohort
co⋅hort
/ˈkoʊhɔrt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [koh-hawrt] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a group or company: She has a cohort of admirers.
2. a companion or associate.
3. one of the ten divisions in an ancient Roman legion, numbering from 300 to 600 soldiers.
4. any group of soldiers or warriors.
5. an accomplice; abettor: He got off with probation, but his cohorts got ten years apiece.
6. a group of persons sharing a particular statistical or demographic characteristic: the cohort of all children born in 1980.
7. Biology. an individual in a population of the same species.
Anarchist88
2009-01-02, 18:49
^^^That.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cohort
co⋅hort
/ˈkoʊhɔrt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [koh-hawrt] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a group or company: She has a cohort of admirers.
2. a companion or associate.
3. one of the ten divisions in an ancient Roman legion, numbering from 300 to 600 soldiers.
4. any group of soldiers or warriors.
5. an accomplice; abettor: He got off with probation, but his cohorts got ten years apiece.
6. a group of persons sharing a particular statistical or demographic characteristic: the cohort of all children born in 1980.
7. Biology. an individual in a population of the same species.
this is a prime example of a question that cant be answered. since there is no governing body or intelectual institution governing the english language, anything goes. whoever thinks they are right, may as well be right. you could go on and on about whats happening to the english language, but you cant do anything about it. one person is only as right as everyone else. personally, i prefer " grey" over
" gray" and "colour" over color, but thats just the fancy britain in me talking
ArmsMerchant
2009-01-05, 19:26
^^^That.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cohort
co⋅hort
/ˈkoʊhɔrt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [koh-hawrt] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a group or company: She has a cohort of admirers.
2. a companion or associate.
3. one of the ten divisions in an ancient Roman legion, numbering from 300 to 600 soldiers.
4. any group of soldiers or warriors.
5. an accomplice; abettor: He got off with probation, but his cohorts got ten years apiece.
6. a group of persons sharing a particular statistical or demographic characteristic: the cohort of all children born in 1980.
7. Biology. an individual in a population of the same species.
Thank you for citing another example of how the internet is lowering the standard of English.
I bet you could find an on-line source that claims that "imply" and "infer" mean the same thing--but literate people know better.
Click the link and read...
co·hort (kō'hôrt') Pronunciation Key
n.
A companion or associate.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
You see how that page cites reputable sources? Shit, many wikipedia articles do the same thing. To write off anything because it is on the internet is retarded.
Maybe you'd be more likely to listen to Merriam-Webster...?
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohort
2: companion , colleague
Or for something not online I'll look at me gage canadian dictionary here...
...A companion or associate.
ArmsMerchant
2009-01-05, 20:21
I don't give a rap what they say--I still say cohort is--in its correct, precise and original meaning--a collective noun.
If one means to say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever, one should bloody well say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever--NOT COHORT.
So there.
Ya well... Dadadada I'm not listening...Da de dumm:rolleyes:
Martian Luger King
2009-01-05, 21:24
I don't give a rap what they say--I still say cohort is--in its correct, precise and original meaning--a collective noun.
If one means to say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever, one should bloody well say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever--NOT COHORT.
So there.
Mmmhmm go head reinvent English you sorry motherfucker, maybe if you payed more attention to what's going on in the world (the internet is a wonderful resource) instead of trusting stupid ass shit you heard back in the seventies (back when you were in your 90s) you wouldn't be in this predicament. :)
I don't give a rap what they say--I still say cohort is--in its correct, precise and original meaning--a collective noun.
If one means to say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever, one should bloody well say associate, crony, buttbuddy or whatever--NOT COHORT.
So there.
Although I voiced my irritation with the misuse of the term decimate earlier in the thread I do acknowledge that it is silly to expect words to retain their exact meanings for two millenia
if the meaning of words was not occasionally altered through common usage language would not evolve
Slave of the Beast
2009-01-06, 13:16
personally, i prefer " grey" over
" gray" and "colour" over color, but thats just the fancy britain in me talking
Personally I prefer "jail" over "gaol", but that's just the common American in me talking. :D
-SpectraL
2009-01-06, 13:47
Never use the phrase "pardon me" in a British restaurant or elevator.
Pill Popper
2009-01-06, 13:49
Never use the phrase "pardon me" in a British restaurant or elevator.
Care to explain why
Care to explain why
I believe that the implication is that it will lead other patrons or passengers to believe that you have broken wind
however if you do hear a nearby individual inadvertently use the phrase "pardon me" without realising the connotations you have an opportune moment to break wind without being blamed
-SpectraL
2009-01-06, 14:27
I believe that the implication is that it will lead other patrons or passengers to believe that you have broken wind
however if you do hear a nearby individual inadvertently use the phrase "pardon me" without realising the connotations you have an opportune moment to break wind without being blamedI can only imagine the patrons would be quite chuffed to bits by your codswallop, not to mention your rather reckless full monty antics! Bob's your uncle! You bad, bad man! Shame on you, Biggie! For shame!
What can I say
I am a roguish cad and the last of a dying breed
ArmsMerchant
2009-01-13, 21:08
Mmmhmm go head reinvent English you sorry motherfucker, maybe if you payed more attention to what's going on in the world (the internet is a wonderful resource) instead of trusting stupid ass shit you heard back in the seventies (back when you were in your 90s) you wouldn't be in this predicament. :)
"Reinvent"? With all due respect, you fucking moron, the reinvention of the language is precisely what I object to. I have no problem with neologisms--words like "blog" and "cremains" serve a useful purpose. But to say that a word may mean either one thing or something else altogether simply degrades the language and foments miscommunication.
I agree. the net is a wonderful resource--especially if you like porn, which takes up a huge proportion of the available bandwidth. Search sites like google are great, too--and the last time I checked, the most googled term was Britney Spears. My point here is simply that the net tends to validate, celebrate, and reward trivia, and pander to the lowest common denominator.