On Tue, 1 Feb 2005, Steve Brust wrote: > Okay, someone check me if I'm wrong--I also like it when someone > corrects my English errors (one of many reasons I so adore Pamela), but > I've always used that phrase in this sense: > > "Bush was elected primarily by the backing of such industries as oil and > major finance, which begs the question of who is served by the war in > Iraq." In other words, "begs the question" means something like, > "raises the question and simultaneously answers it." Is this correct, > or am I asking the poor phrase to do too much work? My guess is that prescriptivists like me and Mark will consider that evil, descriptivists won't get the circular part, and those in the middle will wonder what You mean - a lose-lose-lose scenario unless You're trying to fly under the radar smoothly as melted flax.