I've seen the same kinds of tensions around the word "enormity" -- partly, I think, because "enormousness" just sounds bizarre. I was taught that in formal writing, "enormity" is highly negative, but modern usage typically treats it as the abstract noun form of "enormous." I don't know how many readers still assume the older use is "correct," so I'm not sure whether to advise my students to pick another word so as to avoid any potential misconceptions.
Bill Spruiell
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of Robert Troyer
Sent: Fri 8/7/2009 11:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fulsome discussion
While the OED fulsomely attests to the 'offensive' senses of fulsome, most
modern dictionaries say something like what I've copied below from
Merriam-Webster.com--for those of us accustomed to reading and teaching the
classics of British literature, the usage note at the bottom may be
especially useful when considering the words of with those of less literary
persuasions (i.e. politicians).
*1 a* *:* characterized by abundance *:*
copious<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copious> <describes
in *fulsome* detail - G. N. Shuster> <*fulsome* bird life. The feeder
overcrowded - Maxine Kumin> *b* *:* generous in amount, extent, or spirit <the
passengers were *fulsome* in praise of the plane's crew - Don Oliver> <a *
fulsome* victory for the far left - Bruce Rothwell> <the greetings have been
*fulsome*, the farewells tender - Simon Gray> *c* *:* being full and well
developed <she was in generally *fulsome*, limpid voice - Thor Eckert, Jr.>
*2* *:* aesthetically, morally, or generally offensive <*fulsome* lies and
nauseous flattery - William Congreve> <the devil take thee for
a.*fulsome*rogue - George Villiers>
*3* *:* exceeding the bounds of good taste *:*
overdone<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdone> <the
*fulsome* chromium glitter of the escalators dominating the central hall -
Lewis Mumford>
*4* *:* excessively complimentary or flattering *:*
effusive<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effusive> <an
admiration whose extent I did not express, lest I be thought *fulsome* - A.
J. Liebling>
*usage* The senses shown above are the chief living senses of
*fulsome.*Sense 2, which was a generalized term of disparagement in
the late 17th
century, is the least common of these. *Fulsome* became a point of dispute
when sense 1, thought to be obsolete in the 19th century, began to be
revived in the 20th. The dispute was exacerbated by the fact that the large
dictionaries of the first half of the century missed the beginnings of the
revival. Sense 1 has not only been revived but has spread in its application
and continues to do so. The chief danger for the user of *fulsome* is
ambiguity. Unless the context is made very clear, the reader or hearer
cannot be sure whether such an expression as *"*fulsome praise*"* is meant
in sense 1b or in sense 4.
While the context of Grove's comment clearly indicates sense #1, I can also
see how a discussion of statistics could become fulsome in sense #2.
Rob
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