I'm curious as to peoples thoughts,likes,or dislikes with the use of words that are being given different meanings as time goes on.
There seems to be so many now,mainly adopted by the younger generation (of which i used to be one ),and mostly what were originally meant to mean something or someone not nice.So we have words like bad,wicked,thug,and now in England 'sick',apparently these are now good descriptions.
Of course we also have male and female body parts that we refer to as animals or birds.Very old words such as 'gay' that simply meant carefree back in the 1800's,but as time went on,it is purely a homosexual word now.
So a few ideas to get you thinking,let's hear your thoughts...

ya mean like.........chizzle ma nizzle yo phat ho ?????

Word

Exactly ! Thanks Argo

I make up words all the time, lol

within my circle of familiar people, its no big deal

I believe words are supposed to be able to change their meaning and evolve within the CONTEXT which they are used


and so long as the meaning is understood, I have no problem with it


for instance, if I say 'thank you' and someone says 'no probs', I understand that is the same as a welcome or stating they did not mind doing it at all

others get stuck on the formality and may find such a response not 'appropriate'

Yes,very similar to Australians who say 'no worries'...

I cain't stand that i cain't go to the hardware store and ask, "y'all got any hoes in here?" without drawing strange looks anymore!

Phat and thick are somewhat confusing

Phat = Pretty Hot And Tempting

Thick = Take Home If Crunked Kid ( probably not)

There is one in the UK I don't know about anywhere else and that's INIT which is used so much out of context with the younger generation for EG I am going out tonight INIT

I have never truly liked the new meaning of "crib".

I LOVE words, and word usage. Between my studies of History and my work in poetry, song, and prose, I have had a tremendous amount of fun with words.

I USED TO think, as many people still do, that Dictionaries were Word Police Blotters. Easy to get that idea as a child, since lots of adults chastise us and send us to look things up in one, as a form of discipline.

Then I read a wonderful true story, called The Professor and the Madman. It is the true story of the beginnings of the Oxford English Dictionary.

In addition to a very interesting tale of human struggle, it described how what a dictionary ACTUALLY is, is a collection of how people are actively using words, what they choose to have those words mean, as well as often describing what the words USED TO mean, or what they also mean, and how most people spell and pronounce them.

The key thing to understand, is that far from there being a "right and a wrong" way to say things, or to use words, it is actually true that the meaning of words in language is the most DEMOCRATIC of all human efforts and interactions.

The meanings provided in dictionaries are not THE LAW, they are what the writers of the dictionary found people using those words to say.