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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >Please, please James, do not say the word 'notion'.  I'm as sick of it 
> as I am Palin's winking.

Sorry, but I use the word properly and to the effect that I want.  I'm not 
responsible for how others mangle the language.  I don't plan on refraining 
from 
using the word 'change' just beause the Obamessiah has worn it out.

'the notion of' is used as a synonym for 'the concept of', 'the general idea 
of', and should convey to the reader that I am not addressing their comments 
on tolerance directly.  In this context to say 'tolerance is' rather than 
'the 
notion of tolerance' would be dogmatic.

We don't have the 'ablative absolute' in English.  Our use of the objective 
absolute comes close as in,  "Me?  I'd vote for Barr!"   'Me' is the correct 
pronoun because it is (didn't get this in English class, did you?) the 
'objective absolute'.  It's meaing is 'As far as I am concerned' or 'in 
reference to 
me.   This is also why every English teacher who insisted that it must be "It 
is 
I" rather than "It's me" is a ignorant wankel.

So in English we use a variety of devices to show the 'absolute' state of a 
noun or pronoun.  I might have begun, "Tolerance?  Well, blah, blah, blah 
...." 
  An alternative to this is to say "The notion of tolerance ... etc."

So sorry, no, you will get more 'notion of'.

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