The public decides the meaning of words.

Nope, whoever first used the word decides it's meaning.

The public decides the meaning of words. Many word's and saying's current definitions are rooted in past misconceptions.

There's a line. Sometimes, it's thought that the pub misuses words, other times, it's thought the word gains a new meaning. In my opinion, it's still wrong, since W is something you find on a compass, to tell you where you are, and certainly not something you find in Australia.

Zephyrum, it doesn't always work out like that. Here's a quote I found online that I think you should read.

"Word definitions are created organically in language by native speakers. When enough people agree on what a word means, then that is what the word means. Definitions shift and change over time.

Writers can be influential in shaping word definitions, since they are the ones who can apply artistic license to stretch and extend word meanings. Sometimes they create new words altogether which then get added to to the dictionary. Shakespeare is famous for having invented a large number of English words.

Dictionaries simply describe accepted definitions at the time that the dictionaries are written. Dictionary makers study the language, examine various corpora (massive bodies of written works) and attempt to capture the consensus definitions as understood by native speakers. Sometimes definitions are debated by panels of editors before an agreement is reached."



Xyktbipy, you can use the word "West" or "Western" however you'd like, but it doesn't change the fact that the word is commonly used to describe a political/economic/cultural sphere in the world.

Edited 3/13/2016 01:34:58

Here's a small collection of news aticles I found that use the term "West" as an alternative to First World or US + Allies. If you watch any "Western" news show talking about world politics, it's almost impossible for them to not use "the West" as a replacement for First World or US + Allies.


http://www.smh.com.au/national/what-islamic-states-recruitment-tells-us-about-the-west--and-ourselves-20160302-gn8t0p.html

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article65679787.html

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f3a02f84-e6d0-11e5-a09b-1f8b0d268c39.html

Xyktbipy, you can use the word "West" or "Western" however you'd like, but it doesn't change the fact that the word is commonly used to describe a political/economic/cultural sphere in the world.

Commonly used in American and British balls, maybe.

Here's a small collection of news aticles I found that use the term "West" as an alternative to First World or US + Allies. If you watch any "Western" news show talking about world politics, it's almost impossible for them to not use "the West" as a replacement for First World or US + Allies.

They abuse* or misuse*, and you can find plenty of words misused or abused, like "compare" (instead of contrast), or continual (instead of continous).

k

Yea, bunch of weirdos :)