[FRIAM] Fwd: ABM

[Glen E. P. Ropella]

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Marcus G. Daniels wrote:
> Douglas Roberts wrote:
>> On 6/5/07, *Glen E. P. Ropella* <gepr at tempusdictum.com 
>> <mailto:gepr at tempusdictum.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     For those of you who use phrases like "OO methodologies", it's "OO
>>     method".  The word "methodology" indicates the study of method. 
>>
> Either one looks to be just fine. 
> 
> http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=methodologies
> 
> Main Entry: *meth·od·ol·o·gy* 
> <javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?method13.wav=methodology')>
> Pronunciation: "me-th&-'dä-l&-jE
> Function: /noun/
> Inflected Form(s): /plural/ *-gies*
> Etymology: New Latin /methodologia,/ from Latin /methodus/ + /-logia/ -logy
> *1* *:* a body of methods <http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/methods> , 
> rules, and postulates employed by a discipline *:* a particular 
> procedure or set of procedures
> *2* *:* the analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a 
> particular field

This from the same dictionary that gives us:  "drama queen", "himbo",
and "mouse potato".  [grin]

Here's an interesting "usage note" from a _better_ dictionary, the
American Heritage:

'In recent years, however, methodology has been increasingly used as a
pretentious substitute for method in scientific and technical contexts,
as in The oil company has not yet decided on a methodology for restoring
the beaches. People may have taken to this practice by influence of the
adjective methodological to mean "pertaining to methods." Methodological
may have acquired this meaning because people had already been using the
more ordinary adjective methodical to mean "orderly, systematic." But
the misuse of methodology obscures an important conceptual distinction
between the tools of scientific investigation (properly methods) and the
principles that determine how such tools are deployed and interpreted.'

- --
glen e. p. ropella, 971-219-3846, http://tempusdictum.com
Shallow men believe in luck ... Strong men believe in cause and effect.
- -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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