Campaign for the Restoration of "Disinterested"
It means "not taking sides, even though one has a keen interest in the question itself". It does not mean "not interested". (That's "UNinterested".) Please, act now to save this vital and cruelly misused word from decay! Yes, the English language is a moving target. But that does not mean all its movements are upward!
Here's what you can do to help:
- Use the word properly. "Disinterested" when you mean "impartial, yet fascinated". "Uninterested" when you mean "uninterested".
- Teach your children and/or students to do the same.
- Conduct original research into effective ways to tell your boss, best friend, or partner the difference between "disinterested" and "uninterested".
- Earnestly join your efforts to the diligent meditations of those sitting in darkened rooms thinking "I am disinterested, not uninterested. I am disinterested, not uninterested."
Act now! Save civil, compassionate social involvement!
Become disinterested today!
3 Comments:
You've been watching television news broadcasts, haven't you. I think they must conduct classes in the misuse of the English language. If I hear 'different to' once more I'll scream. Actually I already have.
In America we say "different from"; I always thought that "different to" was the correct British variant. What sets MY teeth on edge is the execrable "different than".
According to my very British and very grammar conscious University tutor the correct usage was "different from". Besides it makes sense because we use "to" to imply similarity which makes "different to" nonsense.
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