The meaning of “moot point” depends on location. In British English, it refers to a debatable point that can be resolved through discussion, while in US English, it refers to an academic point not worth discussing. The term originated in England, where moots were assemblies that discussed and decided issues. In the US, the term evolved from mock trials held by law students. It now also refers to a point with no real meaning and a legal issue not worth trying in court. Some regions use “questionable” instead of “dumb” in the phrase.
The answer to the question “what is a moot point?” it depends on where you are. This term actually has two contradictory meanings that have occurred due to linguistic confusion and changes. A meaning, seen in British English, is a point which is debatable and which can be decided through discussion. The other meaning, in US English, is that of a point that is purely academic in nature, and while it can be debated, it is not considered worthy of discussion because discussion will not lead to a meaningful result.
The origins of the moot point lie in England, where assemblies were known as moots. A point brought before the discussion was an issue that the discussion needed to hear, discuss and decide. Moot points, in other words, were matters to be aired in public and judged by an assembly. Such points could theoretically be resolved through discussion.
However, in the United States, the meaning of this word began to change. This is believed to have occurred as a result of the mock trials held by law students as part of their legal training. Known as moots, these tests give students a chance to argue in a testing environment. These hypothetical arguments didn’t pan out in the real world because trials weren’t held to decide an issue, and people in the United States started using the term “moot point” in reference to a debate of an academic nature.
The term has further moved to refer to a point that had no real meaning and therefore did not need to be brought up at all. In this sense, for example, someone could say “the discussion of which album to play is a moot point, since the record player is broken”. The law in the United States also has a concept of “mootness,” referring to whether or not a legal issue is worth trying in court. If it is outside the law, it may be considered objectionable and not taken to court.
Curiously, a variation of this phrase has emerged in some regions of the world where “dumb” is replaced by “questionable”. This usage is wrong, but it reflects the changes that occur when words become archaic. Because “moot” is only familiar to many people in the sense of a moot point, some people have substituted “mute,” a more familiar word in common usage that seems to belong in this phrase. Over time, this usage may become so widespread that it is accepted as appropriate.
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