If you ask an American to define “moot point,” they’d likely say it refers to an irrelevant issue unworthy of further discussion. But most British people would claim the opposite — that moot points are worth debating further. To understand how such an unusual distinction emerged, let’s take a closer look at the term’s Old English origins.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “moot” was coined in the 12th century as a shortened version of the Old English gemot, meaning “formal assembly.” These gemot were meetings of groups of freemen, gathering to debate issues of a legislative or judicial nature. By the 16th century, “moot” evolved into a noun for a hypothetical case for law students to practice. In fact, “moot courts” are still common in law schools around the English-speaking world.
In time, “moot” developed a wider use in the general lexicon. British English speakers began using “moot point” to describe any uncertain issue worth debating — formal legal issues or otherwise. But in America, “moot” came to mean something very different by the early 20th century. According to Merriam-Webster, American English speakers adopted “moot point” to describe pointless matters that were undeserving of debate. This newer definition was based on the idea that rhetorical arguments in moot courts had no actual effect on the real world, and neither did moot points.
Whichever side of the debate (and pond) you fall on, a moot point can mean one of two very different things. Just don’t mistakenly spell or pronounce it “mute point.”
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