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Mon 10 Nov, 2003 06:28 pm
This past week in Newsweek and The New York Times, I encountered the use of the word hysterical when hilarious should have been used. A joke cannot be hysterical. A situation cannot be hysterical. Only a person can be hysterical. A joke or situation that is extremely funny is hilarious. A hilarious joke or situation can make a person hysterical.
Hysterical isn't in the dictionary, but hysteria is, as is hysterics--a fit of uncontrollable laughter or crying.
ooooooooooooohhhhhhh, thanks Roboita!
Merriam-Webster online (www.m-w.com) lists hysterical as an adjective form of hysteria... and tanks from me too, R!
non sequitur: An ex of mine used to use immaculate to mean wonderful
Oh Roberta, here is how AHD explains hysterical
adj.
(1)Of, characterized by, or arising from hysteria.
(2) Having or prone to having hysterics.
(3) Informal
Extremely funny:
told a hysterical story.
Now you understand, not only the word "hysterical" is in dictionary, but it can mean "extremely funny"(informal), so a joke can be hysterical.
Littlek, :-)
Wy, Immaculate? Not only is it the wrong word, but it's the wrong part of speech.
Oristar, That definition is not in my dictionaries. I suspect that the "informal" definitionis a result of many people using the word incorrectly. Hysterical may eventually become an acceptable alternative to hilarious, but it isn't there yet, IMO.
Hi Roberta, it has been there:
(1) Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary:
hysterical
adjective
1 unable to control your feelings or behaviour because you are extremely frightened, angry, excited, etc:
Calm down, you're getting hysterical.
The police were accused of hysterical over-reaction.
hysterical laughter (= uncontrolled laughter)
2 INFORMAL extremely funny:
His last film was hysterical.
(2) Dictionary.com
5 entries found for hysterical.
Of, characterized by, or arising from hysteria.
Having or prone to having hysterics.
Informal. Extremely funny: told a hysterical story.
hysterical
Of or pertaining to hysteria; affected, or troubled, with hysterics; convulsive, fitful.
hysterical
adj 1: characterized by or arising from psychoneurotic hysteria; "during hysterical conditions various functions of the human body are disordered"- Morris Fishbein; "hysterical amnesia" [syn: hysteric] 2: marked by excessive or uncontrollable emotion; "hysterical laughter"; "a mob of hysterical vigilantes"
Roberta is right.
The rest of you are wrong.
OK with that?
McTag wrote:Roberta is right.
The rest of you are wrong.
OK with that?
After swallowing down three bottles of wine, Oristar grumbled:"Yes, sir!"
McTag, I'm stone cold sober, and I don't have a problem with that.
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