Pineapple Express: Someone Is Wrong on the Internet?

[Dannyalcatraz]

I did kind of disrespect your entire career field by implying there would be no arguments if we agree on what a word means, didn't I?

Edited my post to reflect that reality, seconds ago.‍

 

[trappedslider]

Are you kidding? With SOME words, they have so many definitions, you can argue position.

As in, “Aw, come ON! That’s like, what- the SEVENTH definition? Get outta here with that weak sauce. You wanna be taken seriously, you at least need to get in the top FIVE!”

EDIT: for Exhibit #1, see also the legal profession.

That all depends on what the definition of "is" is.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Are you kidding? With SOME words, they have so many definitions, you can argue position.

As in, “Aw, come ON! That’s like, what- the SEVENTH definition? Get outta here with that weak sauce. You wanna be taken seriously, you at least need to get in the top FIVE!”

This is an actual common argument in my workplace, which is very word-centric.

 

[prabe]

This is an actual common argument in my workplace, which is very word-centric.

When I worked recording audiobooks, we played that kind of game with pronunciations.

 

[Umbran]

Don't people use the dictionary anymore? I've seen a couple of threads now with people arguing over the definition of a word... and I want to chime in and say "hey friends, the dictionary is right there."

Who needs a dictionary, when a generative AI will hand me entirely new, hallucinated definitions? Arguments over whether "literally" means "literally" or is now just an intensifier can go out the window when the AI tells me it means "cerulean blue"....

...and "cerulean" means "turkey"....

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

When I worked recording audiobooks, we played that kind of game with pronunciations.

Thank you for your service. I listen to at least one audiobook a month, and every time they bobble what feels like a common word, it yanks me right out of the spell.

 

[prabe]

Thank you for your service. I listen to at least one audiobook a month, and every time they bobble what feels like a common word, it yanks me right out of the spell.

We were contractors for the Library of Congress. We were required to use correct pronunciations (where "correct" meant from specific sources).

 

[Ryujin]

Are you kidding? With SOME words, they have so many definitions, you can argue position.

As in, “Aw, come ON! That’s like, what- the SEVENTH definition? Get outta here with that weak sauce. You wanna be taken seriously, you at least need to get in the top FIVE!”

EDIT: for Exhibit #1, see also the legal profession.

Trying to explain to people that the legal definitions of words aren't always the same as the dictionary definition is always a fun time.

 

[CleverNickName]

Oh, they are not really interested in the definition. Claiming something has no useful definition is the new discussion these days.

"Ha! You trust mainstream dictionaries? LMAO"

"Webster recanted on his deathbed!"

"Yeah well I use the original 1831 dictionary, and it says..."

I suspect the real reason why people argue about word definitions instead of just, you know, looking up the word and ending the argument right then and there, is because the act of arguing is the whole purpose of the discussion. They don't want a simple or straightforward answer; they want to fight about hypotheticals and semantics. Because let's face it: an internet argument that can be defeated by a friggin' dictionary is a weak-sauce argument.

 

[payn]

"Ha! You trust mainstream dictionaries? LMAO"

"Webster recanted on his deathbed!"

"Yeah well I use the original 1831 dictionary, and it says..."

I suspect the real reason why people argue about word definitions instead of just, you know, looking up the word and ending the argument right then and there, is because the act of arguing is the whole purpose of the discussion. They don't want a simple or straightforward answer; they want to fight about hypotheticals and semantics. Because let's face it: an internet argument that can be defeated by a friggin' dictionary is a weak-sauce argument.

Yeap, and if a definition is meaningless its a declaration of stalemate in a discussion. If they are not going to win it, nobody can.