[Vocabulary] Regarding a right use of a word.

[Joe333]

Sentence: "Painful to see excellent columnist like him doing acts of fifth columns/fifth columnist in the name of freedom of expression"

My question/doubt: What would be the right choice of word in the above sentence, fifth columns or fifth columnist ?

Thanks

 

[Barb_D]

Hi Razer,
I'm sorry to say that I don't understand the sentence at all, nor what the fifth column refers to. Is that a common expression where you are? Is there more context you can provide for me?

 

[Joe333]

Context: General discussion, exchanges of views between friends. My friend refers to some newspaper columnist (whom I don't want to mention for some reasons ) who is being accused by his fans of changing his ideological views and support to opposite groups, subtly, through his articles. In reply to him I wanted to say the above sentence so was asking the right word for this sentence.

Meaning of fifth column: A subversive group that supports the enemy and engages in espionage or sabotage; an enemy in your midst
​

Meaning of fifth columnist: A member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader

PS: I thought sentence would do without context. So didn't give it. Though I've provided it now but I still feel he same.

 

[billmcd]

Either "acting like a fifth columnist", or "writing like a fifth columnist" or "acting (writing) like a member of the fifth column".

 

[Barb_D]

Okay, thanks for the context. I"m not familiar with this term.

It's painful to see an excellent columnist like him writing like a fifth columnist in the name of freedom of expression.

 

[kfredson]

Context: General discussion, exchanges of views between friends. My friend refers to some newspaper columnist (whom I don't want to mention for some reasons ) who is being accused by his fans of changing his ideological views and support to opposite groups, subtly, through his articles. In reply to him I wanted to say the above sentence so was asking the right word for this sentence.

Meaning of fifth column: A subversive group that supports the enemy and engages in espionage or sabotage; an enemy in your midst
​

Meaning of fifth columnist: A member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader

PS: I thought sentence would do without context. So didn't give it. Though I've provided it now but I still feel he same.

The expression "fifth columnist" is not a usage with which I am familiar. I would suggest you stick with "member of a fifth column." Otherwise it might sound as though you are referring to a newspaper columnist (which, in fact, seems to be the profession of your protagonist.)

Going back to your original sentence, I would say, "It is painful to see an excellent columnist like him [STRIKE]doing acts of [/STRIKE] supporting a fifth column[STRIKE]s/fifth columnist[/STRIKE] in the name of freedom of expression."

But it is possible that I don't fully understand what you mean to say here.

 

[billmcd]

The terms are as Razer has defined them. In the U.S. they were used frequently during World War II.

 

[kfredson]

The terms are as Razer has defined them. In the U.S. they were used frequently during World War II.

That is most interesting. I didn't know that. But wouldn't you want to avoid the use of "columnist" (each with a different meaning) twice in the same sentence?

 

[mmasny]

Would it be wrong to say that a person is a fifth column without '-ist'? We say that in Polish and don't care much about logic (we can always call it a pars pro toto or anything else ). Does it sound wrong to your ears?

 

[billmcd]

mmasny:The "ist" suffix refers to a person who either practices or subscribes, for example, to some doctrine, political belief or philosophy, and therefore, referring to a person as a "fifth column" would not be correct.

 

[billmcd]

kfredson: Yes, maybe "excellent writer" would be better in the first part.