Why a Catholic Convert is the Worst Type

Herbert Grice (that's Herbert Grice junior's father) was a nonconformist, and he would, since the sister of his wife was a Catholic convert.

Anyway, I wrote at

http://lsv.uky.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0903C&L=CLASSICS-L&P=R6110&I=-3

"I love M. Davidson -- and all his naivete which I share. There you have, zillions of items of evidence (kindly distributed by C. McLarty in "Under troubled waters") to the effect that 'pontifex' is pons sublicius, etc. and
two pieces of evidence, by wicked M. Chase, to the contrary effect. One metonymic, it's from 'path', not bridge, 'pons-' DNL. One not. It's posse-facere.

I think the Tiber _is_ (as rivers go) a boring one -- but so is the Thames, [if not when it becomes the Isis]. Anyway, the OED is not good about etyms, but when the lady doth protest too much, one wonders

WHY should the Pope be deemed in such a high esteem by convert catholics?

The answer:

"the built a bridge". Dogma!
pontifex: _apparently_ (following [totally unscientific. JLS] ancient etymologists)
< ponti-, alternative [??? plain one, if you ask me. JLS] stem of pons bridge (see PONS n.) + -fic-, -fex, combining form of facere to do, make (see FACT n.), *though this may represent merely a folk etymology*."

"Davidson is being genial when he says that you cannot prove a negative. If
he does get hold of the Hallett, I would appreciate he shares the nonconfirmatory evidence onlist.

Incidentally, I find the Isola Tiberina as having one bridge too many. Imagine what a beautiful bird sanctuary it could be without those two little silly bridges.

What I hate about Oxford (even if Parson's Pleasure, on the Cherwell was my haunt) is the editorial policy discrepancies. There you have the OED saying 'pontifex' is a myth, etymythology, etc. And then you have Short/Lewis saying, "[doubtless from pons-facio; but the original meaning is obscure]". Who cares for meaning if it's doubtless from 'bridge-maker'? Surely a metaphor need not an elaboration other than in terms of reasoning powers of the interpreter. What irritates me is that's it's _never_ or *far from* 'doubtless' to the OED folks!