[blml] Return to Oz

[Adam Beneschan]

Stefanie wrote:

> >> [Eric Landau]
> >> Isn't "arguably" an antonym of "demonstrably"?
> >> [Nige1]
> >> Nearer synonyms than antonyms :)
> 
> Well, no. While it seems on the surface that to "argue" something and to 
> "demonstrate" something are similar, "arguably" means that there may well be 
> good arguments *against* it.

No, it doesn't.  Not in my dictionary, anyway.  Merriam-Webster Online
(www.merriam-webster.com) gives this definition:

   as may be argued or shown by argument <an arguably effective
   strategy> <arguably the greatest writer of his era>  

This definition says nothing about the quality of arguments against
the proposition.

M-W is an American English dictionary, though.  Maybe it means
something else in British usage.  What does Chambers or OED say?

                                -- Adam