Working knowledge?
Posted by Masakim on January 21, 2003
In Reply to: Working knowledge? posted by Vincent on January 21, 2003
: I need the definition of the phrase "working knowledge".
working
ADJECTIVE: 4b. Adequate for practical
use: a working knowledge of Spanish.
From _The American Heritage® Dictionary
of the English Language, Fourth Edition_
working knowledge n.
knowledge
adequate to work with.
From _The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English_
----------
Close study of relevant pairs of words reveals that it
is never safe to assume that there is a working model that will apply in all cases.
Fortunately, for the most part, standard speakers instinctively acquire a *working
knowledge* of the dominant patterns in current English, though they would be hard
put to it to explain why they use a particular form and not another. Thus everyone
knows that _instability_ corresponds to _unstable_, and that _imbalance_ corresponds
to _unbalanced_. (_The New Fowler's Modern English Usage_, 1968)
- Working knowledge R. Berg 01/21/03