2 ms·
I'm just annoyed that decimation would be a 10% layoff; standard if even weak-sauce these days. Too many people use "kill one in ten" to mean "kill them all, le
by bombcar 8mo ago
I'm just annoyed that decimation would be a 10% layoff; standard if even weak-sauce these days. Too many people use "kill one in ten" to mean "kill them all, let God sort it out."
- ajkjk 8mo agoat a practical level that word hasn't meant "one in ten" for like, decades. probably just need to get used to it.
- piva00 8mo agoSemantic drift has always happened and will always happen in languages. Decimation has been commonly used as a synonym for absolute destruction for a long time, being annoyed by it is wasted energy, better to let it go and accept the new meaning.
- fuzzy_biscuit 8mo agoEtymology is not usage though. I get where you're coming from, but fighting vernacular is all but useless outside of academia.
- Leszek 8mo agoBe careful to check whether you're in a glass house before throwing stones - "layoff" used to mean a temporary release from employment for seasonal labour before it meant a permanent one (https://www.etymonline.com/word/layoff https://www.etymonline.com/word/layoff). "Standard" as an adjective also used to mean "being held to a standard of excellence" rather than "normal" or "average". It's ok for words to change meaning over time.