Drake Law Faculty Bumbles Writing Exams, Will Students Suffer?

[ISUCKATTHIS]

You people are children. 

And nice "twit" comment ice cream.  I love these people who pop up with the random insults without saying anything substantive.  I suppose it's a free country. 

[ISUCKATTHIS]

You'll be elated to hear, no doubt, that I've really had enough of this crowd.  Thank you all, it's been real, but I'd rather not butt heads in the future.  I'm running out of time before next final anyway.

[Miss P]

No, actually I meant "verbal acuity."  I agree that you have problems both receiving and transmitting information, but that's beside the point.  You should probably know what you're talking about before you post.  That way, you'll look like less of an ass.

For examples of usage, see below.  Although it might be proper to start with a dictionary.

http://www.academon.com/lib/paper/104500.html

http://www.amazon.com/Verbal-Command-Expand-Vocabulary-Success/dp/1591507669

http://thelearnersguild.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/verbal-acuity-and-the-informal-learner/

etc.

Sure.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/28/A0072800.html

See also: http://www.bartleby.com/68/17/117.html

But go ahead and take your usage tips from termpapers4uRus.com or wherever.

[PILOFOLO_REGIL]

Now, now.  Just because you lack the capacity to produce an academic paper is no reason to knock them.  Anyway, my point was that "verbal acuity" is a well used term despite your contention that "acuity" should only be used in reference to vision.

I'm impressed by your googling, but here again you have an interpretation problem.  The definition you provide does not say that "acuity" is limited to vision.  It merely gives acuity of vision as an example usage.

"Also, the phrase "verbal acuity" made my eye twitch."

LOL.  Yeah, I'm sure.  In fact, I'm confident that most polysyllabic words make your head hurt, your eyes water and your pants wet.

Double macchiato, sweetheart.  And I'll take that tiny tin of mints for $16.50 while you're at it.

1. I think you meant "agility" or "skill," not "acuity," which is about perception.  You were trying to suggest that I don't transmit information well, but acuity has to do with receiving information, not transmitting it.

2. Acuity is strongly associated with vision.  As such, the phrase was a figurative mismatch of the human capacities for sight and speech.

[Miss P]

Now, now.  Just because you lack the capacity to produce an academic paper is no reason to knock them.  Anyway, my point was that "verbal acuity" is a well used term. 

I'm impressed by your googling, but here again you have an interpretation problem.  The definition you provide does not say that "acuity" is limited to vision.  It merely gives acuity of vision as an example usage.

I didn't say it was limited to vision.  I said that it is strongly associated with vision, as is demonstrated by the fact that the definition in one of the most authoritative dictionaries of American English is "acuteness of vision or perception."  But obviously the real problem is that "acuity" refers to receiving information, and you were trying to insult my ability to transmit it. 

I can see that some really authoritative sources also misuse the term.  I could similarly find thousands of people on the internet who confuse "imply" and "infer."  It wouldn't make that any less of an error.

[PILOFOLO_REGIL]

LOL.  I can google too and find many more "authoritive" sources you'll need to correct in your crusade against the use of the phrase "verbal acuity."  I just googled "verbal acuity" and Harvard in honor of dashrashi.

Wow are those academic types stupid, eh Miss P?

"Anderson must enthrall the audience (for the most part) with her own insight and verbal acuity."

Harvard Crimson, http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=224458

"And speaking of hip hop, look for my new CD, "Al B.G. in the Ho-Zone" featuring Snoop Dogg where I fight global warming not with my crisp documentary filmmaking, but with my amazing verbal acuity (that's white speak for "dope rhymes")."

Harvard Satyrical Press, http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~hsp/?id=112_AlGore

[Miss P]

LOL.  I can google too and find many more "authoritive" sources you'll need to correct in your crusade against the use of the phrase "verbal acuity."  I just googled "verbal acuity" and Harvard in honor of dashrashi.

"Anderson must enthrall the audience (for the most part) with her own insight and verbal acuity."

Harvard Crimson, http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=224458

"And speaking of hip hop, look for my new CD, "Al B.G. in the Ho-Zone" featuring Snoop Dogg where I fight global warming not with my crisp documentary filmmaking, but with my amazing verbal acuity (that's white speak for "dope rhymes")."

Harvard Satyrical Press, http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~hsp/?id=112_AlGore

Oh, yes, Harvard students also misuse the word*!  So you must be using it right! 

Seriously, give it up.  You misused a word.  It happens.



*Though at least with respect to the first article, I would give the writer the benefit of the doubt that she actually meant something like "acuity," that is, that Laurie Anderson has a keen understanding of the power of language.  This would seem to complement "insight," which is the word she uses to describe Laurie Anderson immediately before "verbal acuity."

[PILOFOLO_REGIL]

Okay, fine.  If it means that much to you, all the rest of us are apparently wrong.  Acuity refers only to vision (despite numerous sources to the contrary) and I used it incorrectly to describe your inability to deal with the printed word.  Which word should I use to describe that, by the way?  You go ahead and tell me and I'll use a word we can all agree on.

[Miss P]

Okay, fine.  If it means that much to you, all the rest of us are apparently wrong.  Acuity refers only to vision and I used it incorrectly to describe your inability to deal with the printed word.  Which word should I use to describe that, by the way?  You go ahead and tell me and I'll use a word we can all agree on.

How is it possible that you still don't understand how you misused it?  You used a word for perception to talk about how I transmit things, not how I perceive -- that's receive, the opposite of transmit -- them. The fact that acuity happens to have strong figurative associations with vision made the misuse especially grating.  I have already suggested that you meant "agility" or "skill," or perhaps simply "ability."

[PILOFOLO_REGIL]

Okay, fine.  If it means that much to you, all the rest of us are apparently wrong.  Acuity refers only to vision and I used it incorrectly to describe your inability to deal with the printed word.  Which word should I use to describe that, by the way?  You go ahead and tell me and I'll use a word we can all agree on.

How is it possible that you still don't understand how you misused it?  You used a word for perception to talk about how I transmit things, not how I perceive -- that's receive, the opposite of transmit -- them. The fact that acuity happens to have strong figurative associations with vision made the misuse especially grating.  I have already suggested that you meant "agility" or "skill," or perhaps simply "ability."

Do you even remember how I used the phrase "verbal acuity?"
 
I said that you have the "verbal acuity of granite."  Are you trying to say that granite has problems transmitting verbal information, but has no problems perceiving it?  Really?

Now doesn't this example alone prove that you have trouble perceiving and interpreting verbal information?