Resident_Hazard said:
Clearly, I don't view "Hardcore Gamer" using the word "hardcore" in it's dictionary-sense. I think "Hardcore Gamer" is it's own term seperate from the stand-alone word "hardcore." I mean, Hardcore music doesn't quite use the word according to it's dictionary meaning. |
This is precisely what I'm getting at. A dictionary cannot possibly cover all of the different meanings of love in one book, they'd have over 6 billion entries. Is the generalized entry that attempts to cover them all any more correct than any individuals entry? No, of course not.
@Tarheel
That being said, to answer some of your questions Tarheel, of course we can communicate despite having personal meanings for all concepts and words. In society we do have certain words that are only accepted to have one meaning, they are referred to as having precising definitions and act to clear up any vagueness. Other words may have stipulated definitions and can neither be right or wrong and are open for challenge, it depends on the user or place. An adult is different across many places in the world. Some base it on age, some on accomplishments, some on the body. Communications are very difficult across the world for this very reason.
People across the world with different definitions for adult are not suddenly going to conform to what Webster says, so yes my personal definition, as does many others, are important.
You talk about definitions as if they were the final meaning of a word, yet many meanings change over time, new definitions are added and connotations are also to be considered.
John Locke once said that 'simple concepts do not admit any definition' and he's completely right.
I mean this with great sincerity... You really shouldn't just take any word from a dictionary to prove a point, it usually is much, much, much more complicated, especially if it's debated to the degree this term is.
Anyhow, I'm glad to have this debate with you but it's getting quite late here. I look forward to returning tomorrow. It actually raises my interest to introduce (the debate, not one side) to a class some time... If I ever get a chance to teach English, that is.
