nonplussed

[bnjtokyo]

How about "nonplussed"?

This word is interesting for two reasons:
1. It is a negative orphan, that is there is no corresponding positive "plussed" or "to plus"
2. The dictionary meaning is to be annoyed, bothered, exasperated, etc. but it is increasingly being used to mean
not the least upset or annoyed.

[Perry]

I haven't observed this reversal of definitions. Have you read about this, or observed it personally?

[Bailey]

Let's hope they give us both credit for this too.
nonplussed for real!

mb

[bnjtokyo]

Perry asked if I have observed the reversal of the meaning of nonplussed. The answer is "Yes," that's what led me to suggest the word.

Yesterday, in the live report on stage 4 of the Tour of California, the commentator wrote

". . . but Fabian Cancellara seems completely non-plussed by the foul weather. He's just humming along, letting Astana do all the work and having a chat with his pals."

Unfortunately, I wrote to the commentator and pointed out that the standard definition of "nonplussed," is exactly the opposite of what the context of the passage quoted above would suggest the writer intended to say. When I went back today to get the quote exactly, I found the commentator had revised the passage and substituted "unconcerned" for "non-plussed." So I don't have a smoking gun; you'll just have to believe me.

(For anyone who is not aware of the situation at the start of stage 4, it was the beginning of a long (7 hours) wet day into a headwind in a bicycle race heading south along the scenic California coast between Seaside and San Luis Obispo. It is something that could easily nonplus one, but then one wouldn't be humming and chatting.)

[Stargzer]

I've only been familiar with the "unconcerned" definition from the way I've seen is used. Then again, I was a Science major and not a Humanities major long, long ago, and nonplussed doesn't appear in the standard vocabulary of the government bureaucrat.

From Wiktionary:

nonplussed
English

Etymology

Nonplussed is derived from the Latin phrase "non plus" meaning "no more, no further". Recently in North American English nonplussed has come to mean unimpressed. In 1999, this was considered a neologism meaning "not plussed" although "plussed" by itself is not a recognized English word. The "unimpressed" meaning is not considered standard usage.

Adjective
nonplussed

1. Bewildered; unsure how to respond.
2. (US, nonstandard) unimpressed

Synonyms
bewildered: perplexed, vexed

Verb
nonplussed

Simple past tense and past participle of nonplus.

I suppose that in some situations one should not be concerened of one has done all that can be done and there's nothing more that can be done.

[Perry]

I don't know about California, but two weeks ago I was very nonplussed by a headwind as I was cycling to downtown Asheville. I felt like I was trying to ride my bicycle while completely submerged in water. No, I didn't get wet, but the wind resistance was that tangible.

[bnjtokyo]

Yes Perry, I am sure you were nonplussed (I would be to). But you weren't chatting with your teammates and humming along were you? In context, it is clear that Cancellara, contary to normal expectations, was not nonplussed but rather calm and relaxed about the situation. Seven plus hours later he came in in bunch, 35th place, 2minutes and 28 seconds down on the winner.

At the end of the seventh and last stage, he was in 4th place overall, 1 minute 18 seconds down on the winner.

[Perry]

No one to talk to. I was riding by myself, listening to some good Celtic music on my Palm, courtesy of some good earphones.

[gailr]

When golfing instead of cycling, are you plus-foured or nonplus-foured?

[Perry]

Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don't want to press your luck.

Love it!!!