> True Dave. However the fact that at some far off point in the future > incorrect usage of words may become correct shouldn't be justification for > using them incorrectly now, should it?
If I recall correctly, this tangent to the thread came up with your objection to the word "truthiness", which wasn't used incorrectly, and has a clear meaning to the people who use it (and most everyone else). Your objection revolved around the fact that it wasn't listed in a "reputable" dictionary, whatever that is. Again, though, this is simply not a valid linguistic argument. If people use a specific sequence of sounds and/or letters, and enough other people understand what that sequence means, it's a word. You seem to think that these sequences are not-words until some authority - the "reputable dictionary" - recognizes them as words. That is simply not how language works. > Words have specific meanings. That might change in the future, sure. However > when you're trying to communicate in the here and now using words > incorrectly, or words not recognized as words, undermines your ability to > communicate effectively and is likely to give people justification to not > take you seriously Clearly, that was Shakespeare's problem. He couldn't communicate effectively, which is why no one takes him seriously. > Here. Let's try a paragraph that may, in the future, make perfect sense: > > Conflarg a doffle erf flustrate the truthiness of the forgenfluff? Hahaha. > Indeed. Kefondulor. Kefondulor. I think you may want to reread what I mentioned previously about consensus. Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software http://www.figleaf.com/ http://training.figleaf.com/ Fig Leaf Software is a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) on GSA Schedule, and provides the highest caliber vendor-authorized instruction at our training centers, online, or onsite. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/message.cfm/messageid:348122 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/unsubscribe.cfm
