> > I have enough language battles to fight as it is.
>
> My pet peeve is using 'begs the question' to mean 'raises the question', as in "That begs the question what happens next?"
>
> Begging the question refers to the logical fallacy of circular reasoning; proving a conclusion by assuming that it is true.

thank you, thank you...this should be copied and delivered to every newspaper in the country. The present useage is degrading the real meaning to the point that no one understands the phrase correctly.....grant@javanet.com