litigatory

English translation: litigious

20:39 Mar 26, 2014
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Journalism / word usage
English term or phrase: litigatory
Hello friends,

I just heard CNN's Alex Wagner utter the word "litigatory" in the following context. She was interviewing a guest about the news that some of the relatives of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 might sue the Malaysian government, as well as Boeing. I do not have the exact transcript, but she used the word in a phrase like "they're not as litigatory as we are in the US." The use of the word caught my attention immediately, and I would have dismissed it if her guest, who is an aviation attorney, had not replied to her with something like "as you said, we're much more litigatory in the US."

I would have used the word "litigious". Seems to me that the use of the word "litigatory" in this context is not just an odd choice of words, but plain wrong.

What say you?
George Rabel
Local time: 09:49
Selected answer:litigious
Explanation:
I definitely wouldn't use litigatory

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Note added at 3 mins (2014-03-26 20:42:41 GMT)
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legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/litigious‎En caché
Similareslitigious adj. referring to a person who constantly brings or prolongs legal actions,
particularly when the legal maneuvers are unnecessary or unfounded.


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Note added at 6 mins (2014-03-26 20:46:05 GMT)
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I accept that "litigatory" may be used (and if it's been incorporated by some) but not the best choice and I would definitely stick with "litigious" here



60 years ago, there were no need for "death panels"--people accepted that they
were mortal, and didn't immediately adopt a ligitatory pose ...


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Note added at 8 mins (2014-03-26 20:48:04 GMT)
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sometimes words that are "plain wrong" enter the language by default but there we go ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2014-03-26 20:54:39 GMT)
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German has an expression for this: "der Sprachgebrauch hat entschieden" ... rough translation = common use of the word has made it acceptable but in some cases the "common use" comes a verypoor second ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2014-03-26 20:56:45 GMT)
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but if a word is used often enough by enough people, it gets included ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2014-03-26 21:20:29 GMT)
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so up to you sir :)
Selected response from:

David Hollywood
Local time: 10:49
Grading comment
Many thanks! And for the record, Alex Wagner's show is actually on MSNBC. not CNN.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +6litigious
David Hollywood


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +6
litigious


Explanation:
I definitely wouldn't use litigatory

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2014-03-26 20:42:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/litigious‎En caché
Similareslitigious adj. referring to a person who constantly brings or prolongs legal actions,
particularly when the legal maneuvers are unnecessary or unfounded.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2014-03-26 20:46:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I accept that "litigatory" may be used (and if it's been incorporated by some) but not the best choice and I would definitely stick with "litigious" here



60 years ago, there were no need for "death panels"--people accepted that they
were mortal, and didn't immediately adopt a ligitatory pose ...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2014-03-26 20:48:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sometimes words that are "plain wrong" enter the language by default but there we go ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2014-03-26 20:54:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

German has an expression for this: "der Sprachgebrauch hat entschieden" ... rough translation = common use of the word has made it acceptable but in some cases the "common use" comes a verypoor second ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2014-03-26 20:56:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

but if a word is used often enough by enough people, it gets included ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2014-03-26 21:20:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

so up to you sir :)

David Hollywood
Local time: 10:49
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 10
Grading comment
Many thanks! And for the record, Alex Wagner's show is actually on MSNBC. not CNN.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty
1 hr
  -> thanks Jack :)

agree  Carol Gullidge: yep! Litigious = "inclined to engage in lawsuits" (Chambers), whilst "litigatory" does not appear
2 hrs
  -> thanks Carol :)

agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
2 hrs
  -> thanks Tina :)

agree  Jean-Claude Gouin: Americans are prone to judicial litigations.
2 hrs
  -> thanks 1045 :)

agree  Charles Davis
3 hrs
  -> thanks Charles :)

agree  Natalia Volkova
17 hrs
  -> thanks Natalia :)
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