The changing dictionary

[Pete Bruno]

From the article: What is the role of the humble dictionary in an era when word usage changes by the hour?

 

I posted this in the Writers Corner, but it is a great article for readers as well.  It is well worth the read.

 

http://www.american.com/archive/2013/august/the-words-they-are-a-changing

[Former Member]

Gotta love the insurgence of 'irony' in hipster culture...><*

[Bill W]

The OED is redefining the term 'marriage' so it no longer only defines the legal joining of a man and a woman and will now be the legal joining of two persons. 

[Andy78]

I do love the flexibility of the English language.

 

I doubt there is another language where you can create an adverb from an obscenity and then use it to split an infinitive

[Former Member]

As a teacher who teaches English as a second language, I really hate how English can change so rapidly.  There are already so many rules that aren't really rules.  Now we have words that don't mean what they did ten years ago.  The main (misguided) focus of learning ESL is mainly vocabulary, pounding new words into tender skulls until they burst.  And then I have to go in and tell them, "Nope, that word doesn't mean this anymore."  I have images of brain matter erupting out of my students' ears...

[Zombie]

And then I have to go in and tell them, "Nope, that word doesn't mean this anymore."  I have images of brain matter erupting out of my students' ears...

 

Nope, it still means the same ... but now it might mean something else too

 

sick = I feel unwell

sick = that's good

sick = that's bad

bad = that's good

bad = that's not good

 

See, easy!  :funny:

 

 

 

.

 

Edited August 5, 2013 by Zombie

[Sasha Distan]

on the other hand, some words are so useful they have exponetial meanings. here is my favourite. sourced from wiki via thedidyouknow blog:

 

“Fuck” can be used as a verb, adverb, adjective, command, interjection, noun, and can logically be used as virtually any word in a sentence (e.g., “Fuck the fucking fuckers”). Moreover, it is one of the few words in the English language which could be applied as an infix (e.g., “Am I sexy? Absofuckinglutely!”; “Bullfuckingshit!”). It has various metaphorical meanings. The verb “to be fucked” can mean “to be cheated” (e.g., “I got fucked by a scam artist”), or alternatively, to be sexually penetrated. As a noun “a fuck” or “a fucker” may describe a contemptible person. “A fuck” may mean an act of copulation. The word can be used as an interjection, and its participle is sometimes used as a strong emphatic. The verb to fuck may be used transitively or intransitively, and it appears in compounds, including fuck off, fuck up, “fuck you”, and fuck with. In less explicit usages (but still regarded as vulgar), fuck or fuck with can mean to mess around, or to deal with unfairly or harshly. In a phrase such as “don’t give a fuck”, the word is the equivalent of “damn”, in the sense of something having little value. In “what the fuck!”, it serves merely as an intensive. If something is very abnormal or annoying “this is fucked up!” may be said.

[Former Member]

Oh Zombie...I tried to explain the difference between nails (the tool) and nails (on your fingers and toes).  THAT went over so well....><

[Andy78]

Oh Zombie...I tried to explain the difference between nails (the tool) and nails (on your fingers and toes).  THAT went over so well....><

 

Have you tried to explain yet that nails also means to have sex with?

[Thorn Wilde]

Epic. People say, 'That's epic!' And I go, 'Yes, I did find it very story-like...'

[Y_B]

yo kicks so fly