English can get tricky, can't it? Take, for instance, two categories of words: heteronyms and homophones. Heteronyms are words that are spelled the same, but are pronounced differently. Homophones are words that are pronounced the same, but spelled differently.
In the heteronym category, you might have a guide lead you to a lead mine. It's hard to play a bass fiddle while fishing for bass. You will, however, need a permit to permit you to fish. Some lab workers wanted it in their contract that they wouldn't contract any diseases. At Christmas we frequently present presents. We all know that deer would have does for mothers, but so does the baby rabbit. Just because a person is an invalid doesn't mean his ideas are invalid. Heteronymns.
Homophones are, perhaps, better known. "They're going to their home over there." "You two can go to your home, too." "Swiss cheese isn't holy, but it is wholly holey." "We didn't want to err when we let the heir go for some air." And, of course, we all remember NSync's hit, Buy, By, Bye.
It's all very confusing (and amusing). Like my favorite longest sentence using one word: "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." Since "buffalo" can mean a city (Buffalo, NY) as an adjective (someone from Buffalo), an animal (a buffalo or bison) as a noun, or the attempt to intimidate (to buffalo) as a verb, this is a grammatically correct sentence. That is, buffalo from Buffalo that buffalo from Buffalo intimidate (buffalo) also intimidate (buffalo) buffalo from Buffalo. Ouch! No one ever said English was easy.
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Monday, September 23, 2024
Wednesday, December 06, 2023
Tolerance vs Intolerance
Tolerance. That's all they're asking for. Tolerance. But you conservative folk, you people that hold to an older position, you're intolerant. You don't embrace the new position. You need to be ... tolerant. You need to be inclusive. You need to be nonjudgmental.
In this "battle for the dictionary" world we now find ourselves, it is frightening to see people using words as weapons without regard for the words or their consequences. Tolerance, inclusivity, equality ... these kinds of words are bandied about without regard for their actual meaning and without regard for the outcome if we actually did what they intend we do with them. Take tolerance. To tolerate, according to the dictionary, is "to accept behavior and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them." Notice the critical component -- behavior or beliefs you might not agree with or approve of. If we're talking about things you agree with and approve of, there is no tolerance. There is no need for tolerance. You do not tolerate things you embrace. But today's "tolerance" means "to accept and approve of views opposed to your own." Again, it is not tolerance to accept and approve. It's compromise or acquiescence, but it is not tolerance. So think this through. You have View A and you have View B. They are in opposition. View B tells View A, "You must tolerate our view" by which they do not mean "You must allow us our view" but, instead, "You must reject A and embrace B." Clearly, when you turn that around, you can see it. View B is demanding "tolerance" from View A that requires the elimination of View A. But tolerance is allowing View A to go on even though View B doesn't agree. So those demanding tolerance are actually demanding the elimination of opposing views ... the opposite of tolerance.
You find this problem all over our culture today. "We are inclusive, and if you are not going to be our kind of inclusive, we're going to exclude you." "You need to be nonjudgmental, and if you are not, we will judge you." "You need to show tolerance to our position because we will not tolerate your opposition." It is, in fact, contradictory. It is irrational. It is insane. And we know the actual problem. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9). "Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom 1:21). Or, putting it in Jesus's terms, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). Now, some might say that's intolerant ...
In this "battle for the dictionary" world we now find ourselves, it is frightening to see people using words as weapons without regard for the words or their consequences. Tolerance, inclusivity, equality ... these kinds of words are bandied about without regard for their actual meaning and without regard for the outcome if we actually did what they intend we do with them. Take tolerance. To tolerate, according to the dictionary, is "to accept behavior and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them." Notice the critical component -- behavior or beliefs you might not agree with or approve of. If we're talking about things you agree with and approve of, there is no tolerance. There is no need for tolerance. You do not tolerate things you embrace. But today's "tolerance" means "to accept and approve of views opposed to your own." Again, it is not tolerance to accept and approve. It's compromise or acquiescence, but it is not tolerance. So think this through. You have View A and you have View B. They are in opposition. View B tells View A, "You must tolerate our view" by which they do not mean "You must allow us our view" but, instead, "You must reject A and embrace B." Clearly, when you turn that around, you can see it. View B is demanding "tolerance" from View A that requires the elimination of View A. But tolerance is allowing View A to go on even though View B doesn't agree. So those demanding tolerance are actually demanding the elimination of opposing views ... the opposite of tolerance.
You find this problem all over our culture today. "We are inclusive, and if you are not going to be our kind of inclusive, we're going to exclude you." "You need to be nonjudgmental, and if you are not, we will judge you." "You need to show tolerance to our position because we will not tolerate your opposition." It is, in fact, contradictory. It is irrational. It is insane. And we know the actual problem. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9). "Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom 1:21). Or, putting it in Jesus's terms, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). Now, some might say that's intolerant ...
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