4 ms·

> Please spare me that "war" simile +1, normalizing "war" as a synonym of effort is pretty much orwellian.

seanhunter 2y ago
That is part of the original etymology of the word. [1] > late Old English wyrre, werre "large-scale military conflict," from Old North French werre "war" (Old French guerre "difficulty, dispute; hostility; fight, combat, war;" Modern French guerre), Note the old French part including difficulty dispute, hostility and fight. [1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/war https://www.etymonline.com/word/war
- zeroonetwothree 2y ago
  Wow, words changing meaning over time. Imagine that. The internet would lead me to believe that’s something horrific that must not be allowed.
  - seanhunter 2y ago
    The OP doesn't like the meaning of the word "war" changing from a definition they believe to be correct. My example shows that the meaning of words is defined by usage and that usage changes over time. This is especially ironic in this particular case because the meaning that the OP didn't like is one which was actually part of the original etymology of the word.
    - goodpoint 2y ago
      > This is especially ironic in this particular case because the meaning that the OP didn't like is one which was actually part of the original etymology of the word. No, it wasn't. Plus I never said that the meaning of a word is written in stone and cannot change "just because".
- DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
  Yes, but. I have a 1920s edition of the Nibelungen Saga which uses an intentionally old-timey language; there I find "Wortstreit", obviously in contrast to a proper Streit which would have involved physic force and maybe weapons. But in modern German, as in English, to use "Streit" for an armed conflict or "war" for physicists discussing the nature of things is not appropriate except as a rhetoric measure (downplay or exaggerate). Words change.
- goodpoint 2y ago
  What you described is not a synonym of "effort". Plus, in terms of number of civilian casualties modern wars make ancient wars look like skirmishes. Another reason not to dilute the word "war".

That is part of the original etymology of the word. [1] > late Old English wyrre, werre "large-scale military conflict," from Old North French werre "war" (Old French guerre "difficulty, dispute; hostility; fight, combat, war;" Modern French guerre), Note the old French part including difficulty dispute, hostility and fight. [1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/war https://www.etymonline.com/word/war

zeroonetwothree 2y ago
Wow, words changing meaning over time. Imagine that. The internet would lead me to believe that’s something horrific that must not be allowed.
- seanhunter 2y ago
  The OP doesn't like the meaning of the word "war" changing from a definition they believe to be correct. My example shows that the meaning of words is defined by usage and that usage changes over time. This is especially ironic in this particular case because the meaning that the OP didn't like is one which was actually part of the original etymology of the word.
  - goodpoint 2y ago
    > This is especially ironic in this particular case because the meaning that the OP didn't like is one which was actually part of the original etymology of the word. No, it wasn't. Plus I never said that the meaning of a word is written in stone and cannot change "just because".
DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
Yes, but. I have a 1920s edition of the Nibelungen Saga which uses an intentionally old-timey language; there I find "Wortstreit", obviously in contrast to a proper Streit which would have involved physic force and maybe weapons. But in modern German, as in English, to use "Streit" for an armed conflict or "war" for physicists discussing the nature of things is not appropriate except as a rhetoric measure (downplay or exaggerate). Words change.
goodpoint 2y ago
What you described is not a synonym of "effort". Plus, in terms of number of civilian casualties modern wars make ancient wars look like skirmishes. Another reason not to dilute the word "war".