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Thu., 7/9 Jerry Edelstein

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Thomps2525:
Here are three similar definitions of "deserted":

Cambridge Dictionary : "Having no people or things in it; empty."
Macmillan Dictionary: "Empty of people or things: empty, blank, bare."
Oxford Dictionary: "(Of a place) empty of people."

So "deserted" means "having no people" but I still don't see how an island can be legitimately referred to as "deserted" if there were never any inhabitants to desert it. I'm going to side with the lexicographers who share that same opinion. There have never been people living on Mars or Venus. Would we describe those planets as "deserted"? Maybe some would...but I wouldn't.

I'm reminded of a Sunday Peanuts comic in which Lucy, Schroeder, Patty, Violet, Shermy and Snoopy were standing on the pitcher's mound with Charlie Brown. A question about how to pitch to a batter turned into a lively debate on several unrelated subjects. Charlie Brown sighed, "We never win any ball games but we certainly have some interesting discussions."

I can relate! :)

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