This one is for Martha. I've heard and read recently in an Atlantic article (they should know better!) this misuse of the word "hoi polloi" to mean the wealthy or upper crust of society. Of course, it means exactly the opposite since it is translated almost directly from Greek and means "the many" so it refers to the common folk. My question is this word morphing or are these people just ignorant?! My guess is that they are confusing this with "hoity-toity".
So it means the poor and not the rich ? Thanks.
Not really the poor, just the common people. I'm reading "The Corrections" by Jonathon Franzen and he uses it correctly.
so it would be like if there were 20 people vs 5 people the 20 people would be the hoi polli or would it mean the people that make just enough to get by lol ?
It depends if the 20 are common folk or not, not necessarily that they are in the majority. If they are 20 CEOs being waited on by 5 country club staff members, it doesn't mean they are hoi polloi.