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The original question said nothing about replacing anything, so I'm really not sure where you are coming from with this perspective about things being "squashed
by untog 9y ago
The original question said nothing about replacing anything, so I'm really not sure where you are coming from with this perspective about things being "squashed". It feels as though you're coming to this with a preconceived agenda around "linguistic prescription" that is only mildly related to the topic at hand... so I'll leave you to it.
- jdoliner 9y agoAdding an "A" to STEM is replacing STEM with STEAM. If it wasn't about replacement the post would be about a new word, STEAM. Or, there wouldn't be a post at all, OP would just start using STEAM.
- untog 9y agoWhy would a new term replace an old one? The new word means something different. Two terms that mean two different things, one does not replace the other. Of course the OP just wouldn't "start using STEAM", do you really mean to imply that people organically started using the term "STEM" separately without ever discussing it?