Perhaps the alteration of a word's meaning changes society and not the other way around.
I think this is certainly true in some cases.
As I have said above I truly admire the poets in our society and do not wish to ban the poetic use of words. But use of poetics in a debating forum is, I think, undesirable - it's more important to be precise than pretty. That's why I end up being pedantic all the time. Sorry if it annoys.
In a debating situation I take people's words 'as is' and do not try to interpret them, which you have to do with poetic use. If I decide to interpret another's words then I am not hearing what they have to say, I am hearing what I would (or would not) like them to say. I am hearing what I think they said and not what the actually meant to say.
Mind you I always hated analysing poetry at school. I used to have shouting matches with my English teachers about it. Don't analyse it! You'll kill it! Enjoy it!
|