Nominations please, for the all asshole scale

[Andrew D]

Get up on the wrong side of the continent this morning, Gob?

Lord Jim has been trolling me relentlessly; he evidently has nothing better to do.

I'm tired of it.

I will continue pointing out his absolute phoniness whenever the fancy strikes me.

I don't know when I became a baying jackal, nor do I recall ever having the slightest desire to tear out thestoat's throat. He took a jab at me -- his "intentional or ironic" question -- and he missed. That's all.

Not a big deal to me. To him, well, whatever he chooses to make of it.

Speaking of admitting one's mistakes, you may recall that I started an entire thread solely to do exactly that.

I did not want my error to be buried; I wanted to be sure that anyone who had the slightest inclination could see my admission that I had been wrong.

How often do people around here do that?

[The Hen]

I remember when 'gay' used to mean happy.

I wonder what happened to that word?

[quaddriver]

I remember when 'gay' used to mean happy.

I wonder what happened to that word?

so you are saying militant radicals are taking over the word 'pedophile' (-lia) to further a cause?

[Andrew D]

It was changed. And we lost nothing by that change. And we gained something. So it was a change for the good.

But not every change is a change for the good.

Language evolves. It must. It either evolves or dies.

(Although even a dead language can be resurrected. Which presents a trivia question: What genuinely dead language has been resurrected?)

Change for the good is, well, good. The modern difference between ensure and insure is a good thing: Two different words, two different meanings, one word for each meaning, and everyone can grasp what everyone else is talking about. The modern difference between bisexual and hermaphroditic is a good thing: Two different words, two different meanings, one word for each meaning, and everyone can grasp what everyone else is talking about.

Which is the core of the matter.

Change which enhances the accuracy of communication is good change. Change which detracts from the accuracy of communication is not good change. Stripping the meaning of "phile" out of the word "pedophile" is an example of the latter.

Sure, if we, collectively, want to strip the meaning of "phile" out of the word "pedophile," we are perfectly free to do so. And if we want to turn "dis" into "di," we are perfectly free to do so. (As we evidently have been.)

The language is ours. We can make of it whatever we wish.

But we ought to exercise some care in what we make of it. Do we want an Orwellian nightmare in which only the simplest notions can be expressed at all? Or do we want a language whose evolution makes accurate communication more likely?

I'll take door number two, Monty; I'll take door number two.

[thestoat]

He took a jab at me -- his "intentional or ironic" question -- and he missed

Not a bit of it - I wondered if you were being ironic. I figured without your paranoia.

[Andrew D]

Huh?

[thestoat]

Wow ... Not a hugely intelligent response. Fortunately my hopes weren't high

[Andrew D]

Say something coherent, and I'll do my best to give you a coherent response.

Post unintelligible drivel, and I'll still do my best.

It's a two-way street.

[rubato]

"... Which presents a trivia question: What genuinely dead language has been resurrected?)
... "

Hebrew.

yrs,
rubato

[Andrew D]

Bingo.

[loCAtek]

All well and good, but when and where are recent colloquialisms used as legal terms?

A homicide is still not categorized as a murder; it is innocent of such until proven guilty.

If anything, the language of law is becoming more generalized to include all possible motives, until such specifics of evidence narrow down the definition conclusively ...but not before.

As for human sexuality, there's no way to say one size fits all.

For example: We think of homosexuals as persons being attracted to persons of their same sex.

However: In the Philippines, males dress, act and behave like females and are known as 'Lady-boys' or 'She-males'. They often engage in relationships with otherwise hetro men. The Ladyboys don't think of themselves as homos; they think of themselves as full fem. The boyfriends of such fems, don't think of themselves as homos; they think of themselves as completely straight... regardless they don't have a vagina between them.

So legally, we can not value judge, nor we can not ascribe motive, until all the available facts have been evaluated.

[Gob]

(Although even a dead language can be resurrected. Which presents a trivia question: What genuinely dead language has been resurrected?)

Cornish.

[Andrew D]

Nope. At least, not until people start learning it as their first language, which does not appear to be in the offing any time soon ....

[thestoat]

Post unintelligible drivel, and I'll still do my best.

So if you can't understand something, you consider it drivel and your "best" is "huh". Arrogant as well as paranoid. Says a lot. For clarification, and to aid your understanding, I did not "take a jab" at you. I asked if it was a mistake or if you were being ironic (mistakenly, as I admitted to). Your paranoia automatically assumed I was taking a jab.

[The Hen]

I remember when 'gay' used to mean happy.

I wonder what happened to that word?

so you are saying militant radicals are taking over the word 'pedophile' (-lia) to further a cause?

No ant-brain.

I am saying popular usage changes the original accepted meaning of words.

I wonder if you can get some one with a bigger broom to explain that to you?

[Sean]

Lord Jim has been trolling me relentlessly; he evidently has nothing better to do.

Care to elaborate Andrew?

I don't think that there is any truth in that statement whatsoever...

[Gob]

Nope. At least, not until people start learning it as their first language, which does not appear to be in the offing any time soon ....

Why does it have to be a first language to be considered "resurrected"? Surely it is enough that it is learned and spoken by some.

[BoSoxGal]

You DARE to question the Great & Powerful OZ?!?!?!

[Lord Jim]

LOL

This would make an excellent avatar for him:

[quaddriver]

I wonder if you can get some one with a bigger broom to explain that to you?

I dont play quidditch.