Interesting to see the origin of "hoi polloi".
I know the word as the name of a Scottish DIY anarcho punk band, though
slightly vulgarised to Oi Polloi.
Any idea? Do the Scot punks see themselves as an elite or do they refer to Punk
as a mass movement?
Best regards,
Bernd
----- Original Message -----
From: "Piers Hemy" <piers@xxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 11:09 AM
Subject: RE: [OM] [OT] 1910 Amateur Photographer article
> You know Bernard, until you pointed it out I was completely unaware of this
> erroneous usage. I now know otherwise, but can assure you that some of us
> "hoi polloi" are certainly not "the elite" - even though there may not be
> many of us!
> Is it a transatlantic thing? How is "hoi polloi" used by Francophones?
>
> Piers
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Bernard Frangoulis
> Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 8:32 AM
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [OM] 1910 Amateur Photographer article
>
>
> --snip
>
> Well, actually, "Hoi polloi" means "the numerous ones", "the mass" - as
> opposed to what has (erroneously) become the meaning in English nowadays:
> "the few", "the elite".
>
> Bernard
>
>
>
>
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