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Infamous

(7 Posts)
MartavTaurus Sun 23-Aug-26 21:42:29

My understanding is that infamous refers to the chaotic way the piece was written. I think there was a big upset going on between Mozart and his father which continued maliciously, the composition being the catalyst. (But I'd need to check the details).

Doodledog Sun 23-Aug-26 21:12:25

I have't seen infamous and famous misused, but I don't understand why cliched, biased and similar have now become 'cliche', bias etc.

I struggle to explain what has become what else in the way the terms are currently used, but in my head we can have 'a cliche' (so a noun, as there is an article/determiner), and something can be 'cliched', so the term has become an adjective (as in a description of something else).

How can it be ok to say 'this is cliche', instead of 'this is cliched?' or this is bias, instead of biased?

I am certain that I will have mixed up my terms (I am very stressed and tired just now for various reasons) but I hope the sense remains? If anyone can explain in simple terms I would be grateful.

Grandma70s Sun 23-Aug-26 20:58:53

Poor old Mozart.

Magenta8 Sun 23-Aug-26 20:55:39

I used to have an LP of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik that the sleeve note described as 'both enervating (sic) and spritely.'
I think hope they meant energising.

Cossy Sun 23-Aug-26 20:45:11

The ! Grrrrrr

Cossy Sun 23-Aug-26 20:45:03

Haha That was he first thing I thought about, when I read the title!

Grandma70s Sun 23-Aug-26 20:38:14

The BBC is advertising tonight’s Prom performance of Mozart's ‘infamous’ Haffner’ Symphony. What’s infamous about it? I suppose they mean famous. This is an increasingly frequent misuse of the word.

(I’m sure there must be a joke somewhere that uses Kenneth Williams’ “Infamy, infamy! They’ve all got it in for me”, but if so I can’t think of it.)