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The word censor comes from a Latin word for a government official who, well, censored things. In English the word has the implication of being action taken by s

by wan23 9y ago

The word censor comes from a Latin word for a government official who, well, censored things. In English the word has the implication of being action taken by someone who actually has the power to make moral decisions on behalf of society, such as a government. Maybe you think the word has a different meaning, or maybe you think Youtube has this power, but you should try to disagree without accusing people of being part of a conspiracy to change the meanings of words.

wu-ikkyu 9y ago
>The word censor comes from a Latin word for a government official who, well, censored things. Do you have a source for this? The latin word censere does not seem to be defined only as government officials silencing opinions they don't like: >Definitions:assess, count/reckon, decree, vote, determine, recommend think/suppose,judge http://latin-dictionary.net/definition/8896/censeo-censere-censui-censitus http://latin-dictionary.net/definition/8896/censeo-censere-c... >Maybe you think the word has a different meaning It was simias who thinks the word has a different meaning, which is why I cited the dictionary. Do you think the dictionary is wrong?
- talmand 9y ago
  I've seen many people lately try to claim that censor is solely a government-related word and censorship is only something that government officials are capable of. Every definition of the word I've seen does not say this. Makes one wonder where this new definition is coming from?
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - wu-ikkyu 9y ago
    >Makes one wonder where this new definition is coming from? I suppose we shouldn't be surprised to see the euphemization of technology in a forum full of and run by technologists.
- comex 9y ago
  "The censor was a magistrate in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government's finances." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_censor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_censor The name of the Roman office was based on "censere" but had a more specific meaning, and it's that which evolved into the English word "censor", due to the "supervising public morality" part of the censors' job. But the meaning shifted in the process. The Roman censors didn't "censor" anything in the modern sense; rather, they judged people for violations of public morality.
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    The modern English sense of “censor”, IIRC, isn't directly derived from the as actions of the Roman official, but more from those of the Catholic ecclesiastical official of the same name (sometimes more fully “censor librorum”) who reviews books intended for publication and provides (or withholds) the nihil obstat certifying it free of anything harmful to good faith and morals, which is generally a prerequisite to the episcopal imprimatur allowing it to be published, a function which is very much in line with the modern English understanding of censorship.

by wan23 9y ago

wu-ikkyu 9y ago

>The word censor comes from a Latin word for a government official who, well, censored things. Do you have a source for this? The latin word censere does not seem to be defined only as government officials silencing opinions they don't like: >Definitions:assess, count/reckon, decree, vote, determine, recommend think/suppose,judge http://latin-dictionary.net/definition/8896/censeo-censere-censui-censitus http://latin-dictionary.net/definition/8896/censeo-censere-c... >Maybe you think the word has a different meaning It was simias who thinks the word has a different meaning, which is why I cited the dictionary. Do you think the dictionary is wrong?

talmand 9y ago
I've seen many people lately try to claim that censor is solely a government-related word and censorship is only something that government officials are capable of. Every definition of the word I've seen does not say this. Makes one wonder where this new definition is coming from?
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- wu-ikkyu 9y ago
  >Makes one wonder where this new definition is coming from? I suppose we shouldn't be surprised to see the euphemization of technology in a forum full of and run by technologists.
comex 9y ago
"The censor was a magistrate in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government's finances." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_censor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_censor The name of the Roman office was based on "censere" but had a more specific meaning, and it's that which evolved into the English word "censor", due to the "supervising public morality" part of the censors' job. But the meaning shifted in the process. The Roman censors didn't "censor" anything in the modern sense; rather, they judged people for violations of public morality.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  The modern English sense of “censor”, IIRC, isn't directly derived from the as actions of the Roman official, but more from those of the Catholic ecclesiastical official of the same name (sometimes more fully “censor librorum”) who reviews books intended for publication and provides (or withholds) the nihil obstat certifying it free of anything harmful to good faith and morals, which is generally a prerequisite to the episcopal imprimatur allowing it to be published, a function which is very much in line with the modern English understanding of censorship.