In a message dated 2/1/2005 4:04:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> writes: > > >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. > I would take it as, "It has to be asked." -C