AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy
researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of
all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and
I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE.
TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
Question Dear Mr Nesbitt,
Two questions really; firstly would you classify the word 'gunnery' as an abstract noun? Secondly, when did the word 'dunderhead' go out of common use?
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Regards,
Barry J. Fenton
Answer Dear Barry:
"Gunnery" is an abstract noun. Check these definitions:
An abstract noun refers to states, events, concepts, feelings, qualities, etc., that have no physical existence. Examples: Freedom; happiness; ideas; music are all abstract nouns that have no physical existence.
Since "gunnery" refers to "the science of flight of projectiles" and "the study of guns and weapons," it must be classified as a "science" or "ideas." It would be in the same category as "music" or "mathematics." In other words, "gunnery" cannot be "sensed" by hearing, seeing, tasting, etc.
GUNS, however, are a different matter.
The word "dunderhead" entered the English language about 1605. It is still used today. I have found it in half a dozen dictionaries, none of which classified it as obsolete.
I also searched full-text newspaper articles in the "LexisNexis" database, and found more than 500 instances of its usage in just the past year.
