Electrocution defined

[durhamplumber]

But the purists today aren't even insisting on preserving electrocute for executions, in spite of its etymology; they usually just say that it can only refer to fatal electric shocks, even accidental ones. If they're trying to keep the word pure by rejecting changes in meaning, they've already lost. Or perhaps they recognize that having a word for electric executions isn't that useful — or they're ignorant of the word's origin — and they're simply trying to hang on to a more useful distinction between merely receiving an electric shock and dying from an electric shock. But even if that's the case, since the word has been used both ways since its infancy, it seems the battle was lost before it was begun.

 

[durhamplumber]

But even if that's the case, since the word has been used both ways since its infancy

 

[Notch7]

Hey DP, unlike you to get down with the pedantry.

Oh wait.....I spot a locked thread, so this is a continuation.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But the purists today aren't even insisting on preserving electrocute for executions, in spite of its etymology;

In spite of?

.. they're ignorant of the word's origin

No, they aren't.

Who is, do you think?

since the word has been used both ways since its infancy, it seems the battle was lost before it was begun.

But it hasn't.

Only since ignoramuses like you started to misuse the word.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/electrocution
http://www.vaguelyinteresting.co.uk/tag/etymology-of-electrocute/
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/electrocution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrocution

You're not very good at this, are you.

 

[Ian H]

Oh great. Another racist thread.

 

[durhamplumber]

Hey DP, unlike you to get down with the pedantry.

Oh wait.....I spot a locked thread, so this is a continuation.

Spot on notchy,im not a pedantic sort of person,,but when someone argues black is white or water is not wet,,it grates on me..