| Subject: | So what is a critique, then? This goes on a while... |  |
| Date: | Sep 22, 2007 |
| From: | Andrew Herbert | |
AARGH....
Must not respond....
Can't help....self....
This is a response to one aspect of Mark's point, but not directed at him, merely at what appears to be a PC-ness that Mike pointed out.
I see the mangling of English too often at work (correcting/critiquing papers) and online. So here's a little English lesson.
Criticize - here are some definitions from a variety of sources (with my comments):
crit·i·cize (krt-sz)
v. crit·i·cized, crit·i·ciz·ing, crit·i·ciz·es
v.tr.
1. To find fault with: criticized the decision as unrealistic. - (OK, that could be bad).
2. To judge the merits and faults of; analyze and evaluate. - (Hmm, that sounds like a good thing!)
3. Make a judgment as to the merit, effectiveness, utility or correctness of the object in question. Discuss the limitations as well as the good points of the subject. - (wow, is that what this word means????)
Here's one that seems to fit with a lot of discussion on the web:
4. A critic (derived from the ancient Greek word krites meaning a judge) is a person who offers a value judgement or an interpretation. The word is sometimes used pejoratively, especially by defenders of a critic's object. - (Gosh, I should have put the last sentence in CAPS, italics and flashing lights.).
And for those who love Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticize
I'd be happy to have someone criticize my work. If it was just negative, that would suck, but maybe that means the work wasn't good!!! The discussion here is about being civil while saying negative and positive things. Toadying and bullying have no place in these discussions, but sometimes a negative comment can be more helpful than a positive one. Always done with civility!!
Mike's comments are spot on. There appears to be an inability for folks to handle anything but 'positive' criticism.
OK, deep breaths...
Andy |
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 | It is just a hobby! - David Golinsky - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . not for me - Michael Bedard - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . more than a hobby - Frank Forster - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: more than a hobby - David Golinsky - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . With my pathetic excuse for a life.... - Kip Rudge - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: With my pathetic excuse for a life.... - David Golinsky - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: With my pathetic excuse for a life.... - Dave Williams - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: With my pathetic excuse for a life.... - Paul Roberts - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: more than a hobby - Julian - Oct 4, 2007 |
| . . . Thanks David, my thoughts exactly - Paul A. Owen - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . Par for the course - rob galassi - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: Par for the course - Paul A. Owen - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Par for the course - John Naja - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - Dan Austen - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Jeff - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Mike - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Kevin Johnson - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Paul A. Owen - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Kevin Johnson - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - My two cents - Steve Reid - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narcissism of small differences - Paul A. Owen - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perfect example... - Steve Reid - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Perfect example... - Paul A. Owen - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Worked on me - Steve Reid - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FYI - Michael Bedard - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thanks Mike - Steve Reid - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . So we all agree..... - David Golinsky - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: So we all agree..... - Paul Cunningham - Sep 20, 2007 |
| . . . David, take it from me....... - Alan Leong - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - Steve Reid - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - Mike - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . No need to critisize..... - Mark Austen - Sep 21, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: No need to critisize..... - Chris Oldfield - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4p from Dave if you please.... - Dave Williams - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . So what is a critique, then? This goes on a while... - Andrew Herbert - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . True Andrew, but.... - Mark Austen - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Many Things to Everyone - Tim Streeter - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Topic promoted - Paul A. Owen - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Topic promoted - Andrew Herbert - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Topic promoted - Mark Austen - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Topic promoted - Andrew Herbert - Sep 24, 2007 |
| . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - David Golinsky - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: It is just a hobby! - Robert Cline - Sep 22, 2007 |
| . . . "Hobby" has nothing to do with it - Kurt Laughlin - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . Why TL is the best place for this kind of discussion - Michael Powers - Sep 23, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: Why TL is the best place for this kind of discussion - Andrew Herbert - Sep 24, 2007 |
