Toccet02 wrote:Just thought I'd discuss something, as I'm interested in people's perception of words.
That's fine, except the way you approached it was to put me on the defensive by basically telling me I was using the word incorrectly -- TWICE.
We'd not have reached this point if you had said you wanted to discuss my interpretation right from the start.
I had reese basically implying I called the horse ugly (when I didn't). Then you stepped in by saying your opinion was that it carried a negative connotation. If you notice, I didn't contradict you. I simply said that yours was not the only definition and that not everyone thought as you.
You then quoted ONLY the definition (and by your listing, it's the 4th definition which would indicated it is not the primary one, at least according to Miriam Webster) that backed up your assertion it was a negative and implied it was the most common meaning to the word.
THAT is where I got snappish because you
didn't make an attempt to 'discuss' the different definitions... You posted a dictionary entry with the implication that I was wrong to use the word as I did and made no comment at all.
My saying the horse was "homely" was immediately interpreted as my saying the horse was ugly and I got jumped for it. I don't mind being jumped when I state an opinion and have no problem defending it (I happen to like a good verbal sparring match)... just don't expect me to be nice about it if people start putting words in my mouth or resorting to troll tactics like playing grammar/diction nazi. I can play that role as well as anyone, but it's a surefire way for me to start being very condescending. My tolerance level with people whose only method of debate is to nitpick grammar and diction is quite low -- which is why I'm very good at it and can turn it back on them so quickly.
Toccet02 wrote:My only point was that many people PRIMARILY see the word as a negative connotation
And MANY people do NOT.
The majority of the people in this country possess a basic high school education, therefore they don't really have an expanded vocabulary. This means their only exposure to the word is as a synonymy for ugly since that is generally the only context in which they hear/use it. But then, most people generally don't hear/use it -- most people would just use ugly.
And please don't interpret that as my saying you personally are uneducated, Toccet... again, I don't mince words. If that's what I meant, I would say it.
Toccet02 wrote:Good luck to your Yankees.
Danke
Toccet02 wrote:I'm a Met's fan, myself.
99% of the time, I would be rooting for them... but I was kind of looking forward to a Yankees/Dodgers series this year. I've been in Vegas for a while, so I've had a chance to watch some of the Dodgers 'grow up'.
This game has gone south so I hope the Mets kick the crap out of St. Louis.