[Sherman Logan]

This is not what would have been expected based on general theories that the Toba super-eruption decimated populations.

I suppose it's too late to point out that decimation means 1 in 10 dies?

[arthurus]

I suppose it's too late to point out that decimation means 1 in 10 dies?

You would get hysterical reactions from many Freepers who insist that the word means "general destruction" like maybe 90% because Websters Third International allows that. The problem is that Webster's Third presents a new word or redefinition as authoritative if two people can be found to have used it on the street in a drug deal. OED has degenerated also but not quite so much.

In a PC world words have no intrinsic meaning but mean whatever seems useful at the moment and can mean one thing when written and something else two days later if the writer has changed his take on something.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army)

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/decimate.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/decimated

[DanZ]

Educate those of us who do not know where Toba was / is located