»petitio principii

Authors and orators often use the expression "beg the question" to mean "This brings up the question ...". This is wrong: to "beg the question" means to assume, incorrectly, in order to make a point. The wikipedia has a section "Modern Usage controversy" in its entry, but reduces the problem to pitting prescriptive grammar against descriptive. Being a stout prescriptivist, I disagree: the damn phrase has a specific connotation. Mis-use of this phrase, especially by those putting on airs, irritates me.