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  EDline Vol. 7, no. 56     (22 February 2002)

  Editorial mailing list (digest version)
  Published by the Electric Editors
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  Contents:

         Q & A
  [2so]  Go / went / became extinct?

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---[2]-- Q & A --------------------------------------------------


** [2so] Go / went / became extinct?

         Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002
         From: Peter Best, pbest@idl.net.au

Watching an elaborately produced TV prog last night.

The narrator used the expression "went extinct" in referring to
the extinction of a species.

How does the Edline community feel re this usage?


         ----------------------
         Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002
         From: Jane Lyle, jlyle@indiana.edu

Speaking only for U.S. English, I don't have a problem with it.
It is in common use among our paleontology authors. 

A Web search yields hits on "went extinct" from a number of
paleontology and science museums in the U.S. and Canada, as well
as from numerous universities, National Geographic, PBS, the BBC,
and the Monash Science Centre at Monash University.


         ----------------------
         Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002
         From: Judy Stein, jstein@panix.com

> the expression "went extinct" 

Wouldn't be acceptable in anything but informal writing. "Become"
is the appropriate verb.

I think you might say "came back from near-extinction," though.


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