[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'164784\' date=\'Sep 25 2007, 02:24 PM\'][quote name=\'Gus\' post=\'164780\' date=\'Sep 25 2007, 04:43 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'164768\' date=\'Sep 25 2007, 03:21 PM\'][quote name=\'HYHYBT\' post=\'164765\' date=\'Sep 25 2007, 12:03 PM\']Words mean what people use them to mean;
[/quote]This is the most depressing thing I have read in a very long time.[/quote]Depressing, but absolutely true. That's how it's been for as long as there's been language.[/quote]There's nothing depressing about it. Unless you're a member of some sect that believes all language to have been handed down from some higher power, at some point every word was a coinage. Even "coinage."[/quote]Except that there's a difference between coining a word because none exists to express what could not be stated briefly, and abusing the language because you're too lazy to do it right.
After all, what's to stop me from saying "Fooga whoppity spirinkety dooba doo, chumble spuzz" the next time someone asks me a question. After all, the words mean what I used them to mean, it's just that you don't know what I used them for.
Language is the currency of ideas, and should be treated as such.