[greymule]

I have my doctorate.

In what? Just curious.

My job is to edit the research papers, journal articles, and informational reports of people with doctorates in medicine, economics, statistics, law, and so on. Many of them also teach at Princeton and Penn. They appreciate it when I change begs the question to raises the question (and explain why).

the English language is an evolving language

True. Finalize and prioritize were long scorned as business jargon, but they turned out to be useful and are now acceptable in certain contexts. But please let's not weaken precision or lower standards. Has just between you and I "evolved" into correctness because of its widespread usage? Is hopefully, it won't rain now educated usage because some dictionaries allow it? Would you use laws more honored in the breach than the observance to mean laws more often broken than obeyed? Most people do. Most people say I feel badly, too.

Why bend the meaning of begs the question if it's just as easy to say raises the question? Why not reserve begs the question for times when you want to convey its true meaning, especially when modern style books caution against its incorrect usage?

Why say thus when you mean therefore or impact when you mean affect?

Please don't think I'm trying to be critical. You will of course make your own choices in these matters.