Roy Cropper on Corrie last night.

[Joe_the_Lion]

Whilst talking about recycling he called himself a big recycler then questioned whether ir should be recyclist.

Recyclist would be the obvious, if following the rule of, lets say, (bi)cycling, you are a cyclist.

However, recycler sounds better.

What is the definitive answer?

Many thanks.

[Joe_the_Lion]

Quizmonster is by far the most intellectual man I have come accross on here.

I strongly believe what he says is 100 percent correct, and barring maybe Jonathan Miller, is probably the greatest wordsmith I have had the pleasure to encounter in cyberworld.

[stewey]

Theprof, to be truly classed as an 'acronym' the combination of the initial letters placed in sequential order (with no additions or subtractions) must be pronounceable as a word.
Hence, 'NATO', 'OPEC', "LASER'. and 'AIDS' are acronyms.
Combinations of letter such as 'RCMP', 'FBI', 'BYOB', and 'OED' are abbreviations.

[theprof]

No Quizmonster, I can assure you that the word "The" is not missing from the covers of the university copies of the OED.

I was trying to point out the fact that even on the OUP page you cite, the volumes are referred to as "The OED" and not "TOED". Most of the section titled "Reviews" refer to it in this manner. If it's good enough for them.... Well, you know the rest.

So you're not interested in my opinions of your approach and attitudes to this issue? Great. I'm accustomed to it. I meet such innerant individuals quite frequently.

As to offending me, don't consider it for a moment.

Incidentally, I thought you'd left last time.

[theprof]

stewey, I'm very much indebted to you.

I've just had a look on xreferplus and although many of the dictionaries are not very precise on this matter, Collins, Chambers and a few others confirm what you have said.

Please accept my apologies. Why I had not realised this before beats me - you learn something new every day.

It's a shame the OED was not so enlightening

[stewey]

It' ok, prof. As you say, we all learn something everyday: I never realized until today that there are so many volumes in the aforementioned dictionary.

[shaneystar2]

Perhaps theprof should change his username to thepedant .
I am always happy to read QM's very erudite explanations on all manner of things and he is very much appreciated when he frequents Q&P . .At least he doesn't talk down to people .He is a gentleman and a scholar !

[theprof]

Hmm, on reflection shaneystar2, you might well be right with your first sentence.

QM is indeed a very erudite man and I personally have had many occasions to be grateful for his ability and profound knowledge in Q&P and elsewhere on AB.

This matter was a mere technicality that I should not have pursued beyond a few brief sentences and I accept that a more flexible approach on the naming of the OED on AB is likely to be of little consequence to anyone here.

I trust that when you state that QM does not talk down to people, you are insinuating that I do. Well, shaneystar2, upon looking back on this post in a more reasonable and flexible frame of mind, I can only say Guilty As Charged. This seems to be almost an inherent trait in scientists the world over and I'm as guilty of it as the next man.

Please accept my apologies for my behaviour. I wish to convey my apologies to the great QM too.

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for your very kind comments, Shaney and Joe. I have no idea why - about once a year, it seems - I get involved in such insane arguments here on AnswerBank. Discussing the presence or absence of 'the' is an aberration on a par with those who endlessly debated how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. That is, nobody apart from the debaters could give a good goldarn what the answer might be!

I, too, have come to my senses and herewith apologise to you as well, Theprof.