Has anybody noticed...

tcG

Golden Member
Jul 31, 2006
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That the word "contemporary", has 2 different definitions, definitions which in fact mean the opposite. Contemporary can either mean "occurring during the same time period (usually referencing a "culturally defined" time period)" or it can mean "occurring during the present day".
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
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Contemporaneous is a better word to use for "occurring during the same time period". In this context contemporary is generally used as a noun. "James Kirk was Al Capone's contemporary."
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
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There's nothing "opposite" about those definitions. One means contemporary to (literally "in the same time as") each other. The other means contemporary to the work, or to you.
 

Thebobo

Lifer
Jun 19, 2006
18,574
7,672
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That the word "contemporary", has 2 different definitions, definitions which in fact mean the opposite. Contemporary can either mean "occurring during the same time period (usually referencing a "culturally defined" time period)" or it can mean "occurring during the present day".


Yes