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Monday, 21 June 2004

The enormity of the problem

A current example of the meaning of a word changing before our eyes is enormity. As I had learnt its meaning to be 'extreme wickedness', I got a jolt when I read the following in today's paper:

A $15 million Lotto win is not the type of gold rush people expect in Meekatharra.
The small mining town 760km north-east of Perth was in shock at the weekend and coming to grips with the enormity of the win and what it could mean for the town.



A noted on Dictionary.com:

This distinction between enormity and enormousness has not always existed historically, but nowadays many observe it. Writers who ignore the distinction, as in the enormity of the President's election victory or the enormity of her inheritance, may find that their words have cast unintended aspersions or evoked unexpected laughter.



Is the extra four letters too high a price to pay for clarity?