Dictionaries are Not the Final Word on the Definitions of Words

[Revoltingest]

Australia. Because who else could you trust with such an important job, knackers?

Auwhat?
Where a barbie is hot but not like a Barbie?
Nah.

 

[Revoltingest]

What. The dictionary.

I thought it was only a reference.
Uh oh....I'm getting into an infinite loop.

 

[Willamena]

I thought it was only a reference.
Uh oh....I'm getting into an infinite loop.

Go back and re-read.


Or re-write.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Auwhat?
Where a barbie is hot but not like a Barbie?
Nah.

We have barbies and Barbies.
Sometimes, when I was a young 'un, we'd have Barbie ON the barbie, which admittedly got up my sisters nose.

One thing we never have on the barbie is shrimp, though. To us, that sounds like you want to flambeau a little person.

 

[Revoltingest]

You sometimes evoke the most vivid descriptions. Love it-- I could not only picture the decaying haggis, but I could almost smell it too.

LOL!

Question: How much different would it actually be, from a fresh one? Asking for a friend...

Decaying haggis....not as great as it sounds.
But only 50 cents!

 

[Revoltingest]

Go back and re-read.


Or re-write.

Oh, no....I had that happen long ago.
It eats up a lotta computer time.

 

[Willamena]

Logical?

https://www.roangelo.net/logwitt/

 

[Revoltingest]

We have barbies and Barbies.
Sometimes, when I was a young 'un, we'd have Barbie ON the barbie, which admittedly got up my sisters nose.

One thing we never have on the barbie is shrimp, though. To us, that sounds like you want to flambeau a little person.

I know.
Weren't little plastic figures (army men) & fire the best combination ever!

 

[Willamena]

Oh, no....I had that happen long ago.
It eats up a lotta computer time.

Dictionary is a reference. You asked half a question, and as I had indicated no authority, in my mind I thought you had asked what authority I was referring to, which was the dictionary. Logic took me in that direction. Half a question only gets a quarter of an answer.

I realize now that you had asked what the authority should be. The only authority words have is each of us, dictated by the logic of the various languages we learn.

 

[paarsurrey]

There seems to be a somewhat popular notion that dictionaries define the "correct" or "proper" use of words. As it happens, that is far from the truth.

Lexicographers -- that is, people who compile dictionaries -- spend their days searching media such as books, magazines, websites, etc, for examples of how words are being used by you, the average person. Then they publish their findings as the definitions of those words -- usually with the most popular definitions coming first.

In other words, lexicographers do not publish -- or even attempt to publish -- the "correct" or "proper" usages of words, but rather the common or notable usages of words. As the language changes, so do the dictionaries. Ultimately, it is how people are using words that determines their dictionary definitions.

By the way, American dictionaries usually use for their pronunciation guides how words are pronounced in Iowa or Nebraska, because those are considered the most "neutral" accents. Just so you know.

I agree with one.
So lexicographers just give the common usage of the words by humans at a given point of time and at a given place. If the dimensions of time and place change, so could its usage and hence the meanings.
Lexicographers don't make the words, nor it is possible for them to make words.
Is it true that it is not possible for certain humans to make a "word" or set its "usage" or set its "meanings" for others to follow?
It is definitely not a conscious exercise, it is done on a autopilot mode so none can lawfully claim having invented a "word" or "words". Right, please?

Regards

 

[sayak83]

There seems to be a somewhat popular notion that dictionaries define the "correct" or "proper" use of words. As it happens, that is far from the truth.

Lexicographers -- that is, people who compile dictionaries -- spend their days searching media such as books, magazines, websites, etc, for examples of how words are being used by you, the average person. Then they publish their findings as the definitions of those words -- usually with the most popular definitions coming first.

In other words, lexicographers do not publish -- or even attempt to publish -- the "correct" or "proper" usages of words, but rather the common or notable usages of words. As the language changes, so do the dictionaries. Ultimately, it is how people are using words that determines their dictionary definitions.

By the way, American dictionaries usually use for their pronunciation guides how words are pronounced in Iowa or Nebraska, because those are considered the most "neutral" accents. Just so you know.

Then there is specialized meaning of words found in technical dictionaries......

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

My cousin is an English teacher and is annoyingly prescriptive, even during family dinners. I mean he's fun, but the mind games. Ughh.

If you want some help messing with his head, let me know. I'm petty enough to enjoy that.

Yes please!!!!

I've got a couple that you might like to use at the dinner table.

The next time he refers to the food being healthy, tell him no, "No it isn't. It's dead. It may be healthful for us, but it's not healthy."

And if he refers to a verbal contract, tell him that all contracts are verbal, some oral, some in writing.

Incidentally, both of those usages may have grandfathered in by now since they are so common. But you'll still have fun with your cousin.

"Enormity" is undergoing a change. It means heinous, but it's coming to mean "bigness".

Yes, and an analogous transformation is occurring with notoriety, which is coming to mean fame or celebrity without the disparaging connotation.

You're to use the dictionary, but as a reference, not as an authority.

Who is the authority?

Each speaker or writer in a community of speakers and writers is his own authority, making the community the final arbiter of how words are used.. Collectively, people decide how they will use words, some better than others. Dictionaries, as already noted, lag behind in their effort to identify new words and new usages for existing words. The community is the authority, not the lexicographers. Subsets of people will go off in their own and create jargons unintelligible to outsiders. One might ask by what authority, and the answer will be the same. They claim the right to coin language, and nobody can tell them that they are wrong or misusing language. Others may critically try to assume authority over other's usage, but to no avail.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

I know.
Weren't little plastic figures (army men) & fire the best combination ever!

And left over Fourth Of July fireworks.

I used to construct plastic model kits with a black cat inside (the fuse carefully hanging out).

JUST so I could blow them up!

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

I've got a couple that you might like to use at the dinner table.

The next time he refers to the food being healthy, tell him no, "No it isn't. It's dead. It may be healthful for us, but it's not healthy."

And if he refers to a verbal contract, tell him that all contracts are verbal, some oral, some in writing.

Incidentally, both of those usages may have grandfathered in by now since they are so common. But you'll still have fun with your cousin.



Yes, and an analogous transformation is occurring with notoriety, which is coming to mean fame or celebrity without the disparaging connotation.





Each speaker or writer in a community of speakers and writers is his own authority, making the community the final arbiter of how words are used.. Collectively, people decide how they will use words, some better than others. Dictionaries, as already noted, lag behind in their effort to identify new words and new usages for existing words. The community is the authority, not the lexicographers. Subsets of people will go off in their own and create jargons unintelligible to outsiders. One might ask by what authority, and the answer will be the same. They claim the right to coin language, and nobody can tell them that they are wrong or misusing language. Others may critically try to assume authority over other's usage, but to no avail.

For a lovely example of small(ish) groups coining language all their own?

I would submit that the Computer Universe, with it's various advocates of this OS or that OS and so forth.

To an outsider trying to gain entry into their club? It's not unlike a Spanish Explorer of old, landing on an unknown beach, and exclaiming, "Eureka! We have found India!"



(I'm such a N00B .... )

 

[SomeRandom]

I've got a couple that you might like to use at the dinner table.

The next time he refers to the food being healthy, tell him no, "No it isn't. It's dead. It may be healthful for us, but it's not healthy."

And if he refers to a verbal contract, tell him that all contracts are verbal, some oral, some in writing.

Incidentally, both of those usages may have grandfathered in by now since they are so common. But you'll still have fun with your cousin.
.

But he's vegan! Lol
Besides he's more the pretend to flirt or sexually suggest random things just to mess with my head kind of twisted.
I blame all the classics he had to study. It's warped his mind.
Hmm maybe I can use the libertines against him.