Eliane a/k/a Elly

Definitions -- by Eliane

Tuesday, 25. November 2008, 18:48:33

Definitions

It bothers me that some fine words
can simply become pejorative
language changes can be so absurd
instead of being clear and restorative
when one word can mean its own definitions' opposite
makes understanding quite difficult
living language is very equisite
although sometimes causes my brain to summersault.

Eliane

Now Is The Time of Clouds -- a poem by ElianeHAPPY THANKSGIVING

Comments

wickedlizard # 25. November 2008, 19:32

nice!

cakkleberrylane # 26. November 2008, 00:30

So true!! When I was a teenager, I was shopping with my mother, she saw a man dressed up in bright colors and said, "OH, isn't he GAY". I told her what it meant and she felt so bad, she started to cry and said that words that she used as a child had changed so much that she hardly knew what to say anymore.

momable # 26. November 2008, 00:52

Thanks, Issy.

momable # 26. November 2008, 00:53

Exactly, Lois! Now, we also have to contend with words meaning different things to different aged people!!! As if we had enough to do!!!!

Oh, well, we all meddle along!

cakkleberrylane # 26. November 2008, 22:12

qlue # 27. November 2008, 03:58

No wonder we have communication problems

momable # 28. November 2008, 05:57

Yeah, Aadil. Positively, and you also have to decipher the body language -- and that changes with cultures! So, someone may be speaking English and the words don't match the body or conversely, of course.

Tooooo many ways for people to be misunderstood!!!

SittingFox # 28. November 2008, 14:59

Summersaulting brain: sounds painful but I love it!

And of course a lot of words in English English mean different things in American English or Canadian English or Australian English. As a species we seem bent on finding ways to confuse ourselves!

momable # 29. November 2008, 01:09

Adele, so true!

Glad you enjoy my phraseology