That is not a word. "Says who?" You spelled that wrong.
I was speaking in comments with a friend @bigskykilroy (I only know him on steemit) about his new word spinnery. He used it to refer to the crazy spin that mainstream media tries to put on everything. He said an interesting thing about the word now being used 3 times and if it could reach 5 it would become a word because that is a rule. LOL.
This reminded me of something that happened here sometime within the past month or so. I don't remember exactly where or I'd go find an exact example. It was on a post on a controversial topic (fairly certain one of my anti-racism posts) and it was clear the person replied simply to try to perform an attack on me. It had its share of ad hominems, and other logical fallacies and I could tell that someone likely approached a person they know and said something like "Look what this guy is saying about racism, care to say anything?". This conclusion was drawn when I watched who the person had been interacting with and they didn't interact with me any other time than this out of the blue comment.
One of the points they decided to attack was that a word I used was not a word. I answered their points at length and they did not counter, but it is that one point about WORDS that I want to talk about here.
My response to it not being a word went SOMETHING like this without any responses it was me posing questions and making statements:
"Who says it is not a word?"
"You couldn't find it in a dictionary?"
"Can you tell what the word should mean?" (it was easy to tell but I don't remember at this point)
"So if you can understand the meaning and the purpose is communication then it seems like it succeeded in communicating my thought. Wouldn't that make it a word?"
"With that said resorting to the dictionary becomes nothing more than an appeal to authority fallacy."
I have not been a spelling Nazi for a very long time. I really stopped doing it when someone said "We should make an electronic magazine" back in the early 90s and I said "Sure, I can write the subscription handling software, etc. I also wouldn't mind writing a story or two". Then suddenly I was the editor. That guy didn't really do much other than stating an idea. The idea was in response to an essay I wrote for friends (not a class). I believe the title was "Fuck The Rut Let's Go Off Road" and was along the lines of asking why people always say "When I graduate", "When I grow up", etc. I asked why people were waiting to do things they could try to do now. I digress.
As editor I realized that I didn't know anyone with perfect spelling. This included the would be spelling Nazis. Throughout my life I have seen forums, reddit posts, and other places where people fixate on spelling. I had a realization at one point.
What is the purpose of words?
Communication.
What is that?
Trying to convey thoughts and concepts from one mind to one or more other minds.
As such, if you know what word they tried to spell did it actually accomplish it's intended purpose?
To me the answer to that is yes.
If I was writing some extremely formal letter I might worry about spelling. Outside of such cases I consider fixating on spelling as a very petty thing to do. It also totally misses the point of what words are for in the first place.
People can get so hung up on arguing about spelling that the original discussion is gone, and an opportunity lost. The only gain I can see from it is someone attempting to flex their muscular ego and for a moment feel like they got one up on someone.
What I realized recently is that when a person says "That is not a word" it is more or less the same as the spelling argument. Did they know what you were meaning with that word? If so, then yes it is a word.
In order for it to not be a word it needs to be incomprehensible and fail at the purpose of communication.
That brings us to dictionaries. They are not the be all end all of what constitutes a word. That simply turns them into a huge appeal to authority fallacy. In reality, all a dictionary is seems to be a tool that can be used to teach you the meaning of words that may not make sense to you, or that you do not know. In fact, dictionaries come in many sizes. Some have more words than others. The definition can also vary quite a bit between dictionaries.
Dictionaries are a tool. They are not an authority.
The key to any exchange should be communication. Do you understand what someone is trying to share with you, and do they in turn understand you?
All other issues are secondary and mostly petty and distractions. The only time this may not be the case is if there is a formal reason for flagging spelling and words that seem made up on the spot.
With that said... I'm going to speak to my dad, who passed away many years ago.
"Dad to your 'ain't' isn't a word statements..." Yes, it is. It is pretty clear what it is intended to mean. Whether the dictionary likes it or some formal group wanting recognition of their authority doesn't like it is irrelevant. If you can infer and understand it's meaning then it IS a word.
Since I am the World's foremost authority on general spinnery, I would like to point out that, although a technicality, your eSteemed father was correct. Aren't is not a word, it is a contraction. Anyways, irregardless ain't nobody gots time for dat! Steem On Brother!
Damn... Ain't was the word I was looking for. I need to edit that now.
These aren't the words you're looking for. Move along, move along...
Can I still call out so-called "knowledgeable" people for saying nucular?
Heh. You can do whatever you want. The key thing I've realized that doing so CAN derail the discussion. So if you are intentionally changing the subject then it might be a good thing. Otherwise, you may want to make sure to add some qualification to keep the conversation on subject when you call it out. Something like... "By the way 'nucular' is not how it is really said, but I do want to stay on subject so I thought I'd just point that out. If you want to talk more about that let me know when we are done and I'll be happy to expand upon that." Now I don't expect you to do that. This was just an example.
I will definitely factor that in the next time GW and I sit down for a chat. ;-)
This word is below I am concerned about the person you are talking about @dwinblood brothers .. but I am sure you are very wise here .. And regards from me @nauval steemians @indonesia
It reminds me of something that happened here about a month ago. I do not remember exactly where or I will find
The right example. It was on a post on a controversial topic (quite certainly one of my anti-racism posts) and obviously the person answered just to try to attack me. It has its share of ad hominems, and other logical mistakes and I can say that someone might approach people they know and say something like "Look what this guy is saying about racism, care to say something?". This conclusion is drawn when I see who the people are interacting with and they do not interact with me at any time other than this comment.
He could have been worse than he was. Nothing to worry about at this point as far as I'm concerned.
Although I'm very perfectionistic and I want to spell everything 'right', as an amateur linguist I recognize that there is no right way of spelling words. There is just institutions that put forward random rules about how someone should write the words he pronounces, and enforces this through force or prestige. So, as much as I'm annoyed by people who make lots of spelling mistakes, I guess I just have to live with it ;-)
Great post, Steem on!
Great Post dude! I'm gonna stay with " if a word has a meaning or purpose even though it's not in a dictionary, still a word"
I have decided that, for myself, without judging others, I do my best to police my own spelling/grammar as a consideration and courtesy to those with whom I would like to communicate accurately.
I have noticed that non-native English speakers often speak more accurate English than many people whom I've known growing up in America. I find that in communication with them that I wish to improve my own accuracy in communication, so as to not spread doubt in the minds of others as to their own competence at speaking a language with which they are not completely familiar.
To be more truthful, I have been known to flay the hides off the ignorant when they become adamant about things of which they are uninformed. Using spelling as a sometime target to try to get them to engage their critical thinking from any available angle. If they are thinking, I find they have less energy to be emotional.
There is something to be said for the evolution of language, unfettered by the chains of standardization and sociological manipulation. Creativity can be stifled by undue limits on the use of language. R. Buckminster Fuller would have been a linguistic political prisoner in a state that punished the creation of new words with prison.
China has outlawed slang, sarcasm, and even fiction at different points in it's history, for various reasons. Most recently, I think it was for word recognition surveillance programs the government uses to monitor the people. I'm sure misspelled words would not help such programs succeed.
There are many aspects to this subject. I agree that each would benefit from making a positive effort to engage in genuine, earnest communication without the games of using spelling/syntax/semantics against others.
Socrates is supposed to have said "The beginning of wisdom is the defining of terms."
It has also been said, by whom I do not know, "The Devil is in the details and God is in the detail."
This is what I do as well.
Usually as a spectator this tends to totally derail the conversation. Sometimes it won't.
I haven't heard of that. In such an environment I'd secretly desire to misspell word intentionally.
Something like using staples on tax forms? Sand in the Vaseline?
Sounds good to me.
Who says that "That," isn't a word? ^.^ Silliness aside, I agree the communication being clear is what matters in the first place. But that being said, there is a big difference when I read from someone misspelling a lot, and not properly contructing sentences, vs a skilled writer. In which the latter one is of course preferred. What I am trying to say, is that it depends on the circumstances. Wouldn't you be annoyed if you watched a movie with subtitles on when it were constantly misspelling? If it were just a chat or a comment like this one, than I'd say yeah, who cares..
Just the other day someone I know IRL thought they were having a 'debate' with me on Facebook which basically consisted of throwing ad hominems and mistruths, and I used the word 'irregardless' saying that many people were choosing to reject identity politic labels irregardless of their race/gender/sexuality. He responded back:
"'Irregardless' is not a word."
So yes, apparently this is a thing. I chose that word specifically because 'regardless' was not accurate and because when I told him previously that I did not identify as POC he tried to construe that as me not caring about/valuing/considering my ethnic heritage. Of course, this dumbass works at Google.
Besides the whole point @dwinblood already made on this post. Irregardless is a known word lol.
Yeah if I paid money to watch a movie with sub titles that a lot of effort went into producing it and it didn't have correct spelling and such I'd be annoyed. Yet, I consider that a much more formal production.
It is one of the exceptions (of which there are a number) and not the norm. I see this with people in forums, and attacking people, especially if they disagree with them. I disagree with the person so I am going to make a big deal about spelling or the word they used. This is a purely petty act as far as I am concerned.
I never been really fond of arguing ^^ Discussing ok, but it often gets repetitive from both sides pretty quickly. Anyways, I think in those cases when people disagree, it is mostly to "falsly" defend theirselves by fixating their attention on something totally off the point.
Yes, a distraction, a red herring.
Not much different than typonese, you either get it or you don't...
Wow this just gave me a brainfart!
Let me help you... simple question...
"Who was granted the authority to decide what you could use as a word and what you cannot?"
Are they human?
Are they a super human with more rights than you?
If not, then why do you recognize their authority to dictate what are or are not words?
:)
That may make the brainfart worse... not sure. I started with good intentions.
I always thought little gnomes did shocked in awe. Are you telling me they are not!?
Heh... I thought I was asking. :)
I am not stating anything with a certainty... especially about gnomes. They might be watching.
haha this is funny looolz