ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
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Eugene,

Of course, in common U.S. usage both are correct and that is what 
dictionaries capture and reflect over time and geographic location. Use of 
language is just a very interesting phenonmenon--and deeply sensitive 
ones--very tied to identity. Did not mean to imply anyone was wrong.  I was 
trying to capture some differences in national identity reflected in 
language--a risky communications strategy. No proscriptions or prescriptions 
intended. And what a noble task you have accepted in keeping the style 
sheet! I know your visitors benefit.

Carey

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eugene Dillenburg" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:05 AM
Subject: Re: more semantics


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
institutions.
*****************************************************************************

The following dictionaries list "exhibit" and exhibition" as synonyms:

Compact Oxford
Merriam-Webster
American Heritage
Wordsmyth
Encarta
Infoplease
Dictionary.com
ArtLex Lexicon of Visual Art Terminology
ODLIS: Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science

Only Cambridge seems to hold out for separate meanings.  Thus, people who
use the words interchangeably are, in fact, using them correctly.
Proscriptivists may think otherwise, but they seem to have even less support
for their position than they usually do.

As I tell my Indonesian girlfriend: if language were supposed to be logical,
we'd all be speaking Esperanto.

Eugene Dillenburg
Exhibit Developer and (reluctant) Keeper of the Style Sheet
Science Museum of Minnesota

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