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Re: First and final word.
--- "Peter T. Chattaway" <petert at interchange_ubc.ca>
wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, rhys daily wrote:
> > however, as much strength, if not more, is given
> to the idiomatic
> > definition of a word.
>
> Nice use of the passive voice, there. *Who* gives
> it this strength? And
> why should that person's opinion matter?
actually, i was under the impression that majority
rules.
> Oh, for sure, but some changes reflect a
> misunderstanding of what a word
> was supposed to mean in the first place, and I tend
> to resist that.
i know what you mean--but once it happens, we all end
up having to speak a common version of some language
and/or not react to offense at every turn--or why
bother talking at all?
> biblical stories of Sodom (the sin of which was
> *not* homosexuality) and
not getting into that :)--but there is more than one
hermeneutical take on the issue.
the thing is, it's been my experience that the
paradigm that is usually associated with the more
liberal interpretation of such issues is rarely stuck
on taking issue prescriptively with this aspect of
human behavior (i.e. language).
> > so i'm dumb.
>
> Or loose, or general. Take your pick. :)
or realistic. :)
> Sorry, even though I make as much use of the streets
> as anyone else, "the
> common person" doesn't hold much sway with me.
you're so magnanimous, taking the time to walk with
them and all :)
It's
> not like he or she
> hasn't been wrong before.
or you either, right?
but the easy pegging of right and wrong here doesn't
seem like much to stand on in general--especially
since the queen's english itself grew out of something
else, no doubt transgressing plenty. that is the
language you speak, right? proper definitions and
all?
-j. marie
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