4 ms·
This is as tedious a fight as the old "hacker doesn't mean cracker!1!" one was. Words (and phrases such as "begging the question") mean what they're understood
by bonaldi 10y ago
This is as tedious a fight as the old "hacker doesn't mean cracker!1!" one was.
Words (and phrases such as "begging the question") mean what they're understood to mean by the majority, much though those of us who understand their "proper" definitions might like to fight those tides.
Sure, you can still use the lesser-known or overtaken meanings in particular scenarios when you know your audience has a shared understanding, but that's true of all jargon or less-common definitions
- pessimizer 10y agoAre you saying that "troll" now means "people who disagree with our established positions"? That's far less a new usage then an intentional relabeling to imply that censorship is justified against any group - like redefining "terrorist" to mean "critic of government policy."
- bonaldi 10y agoNo, and I don't know where you got that from. "Troll" is rapidly coming to mean "person who behaves offensively, abusively or objectionably online". Of course the Guardian will have a different definition of what those behaviours are to, say, the Daily Mail. Or to HN!
- mahranch 10y ago> Are you saying that "troll" now means I think the overall meaning of his comment is basically "Languages evolve." And I agree with him. It's as inevitable as death and taxes.