The Outsider Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Personally, I feel a particular word is applied to a particular context only when there is a need for it otherwise us humans are usually pretty happy to work within the existing framework of the words available to us. And as a corollary, I also think that when we fall short of expressing something in the existing framework we invent or borrow a word into the framework to express ourselves. Or do you think that we invent words just for the sake and fun of it? Well, yeah, some might be invented that ways but rather the question should be do people in general catch on to a new word to express what can already be expressed in the existing framework? Too abstract? Let me think of a few examples - well can't think of a simple one off hand, but here is one about the word "annealing". Traditionally, the word has been used to describe the process of heating and casting Iron and had nothing to with statistics. And of course the field of statistics had no use for a word described to cast Iron. Till there came a process in statistics which started to be referred as "annealing". Obviously, I don't want to waste people's time describing what the process is and those interested can google it up since the main discussion here is about vocabulary and how does it arise and catch on?
ganeshran Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Isnt this thread supposed to be in Chit chat
The Outsider Posted December 20, 2011 Author Posted December 20, 2011 Isnt this thread supposed to be in Chit chat Yeah, opened it in the wrong section.
punjabi_khota Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Well yeah there is a lot of borrowing between the fields depending on the needs. I think people are always trying to relate new knowledge or ideas in one field to what we know in another, and also trying to visualize or simplify new ideas to frame them in a familiar setting. Another example would be the word fibre bundle. Sounds like something to do with farming and of course, is used in math (with a good reason of course, as is simulated annealing).
The Outsider Posted December 20, 2011 Author Posted December 20, 2011 isnt all 3 options applicable?? Yeah, to a certain degree they all are. But I refrained from making it a multiple selection poll because then most people would choose all three. This way people can choose what they consider to be the most important factor.
Vijay.Sharma Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 I dont think it is an either-or kinda question. I think all three options influence the creation of new words. Then there is the option of borrowing of words from other languages. There's a whole body of knowledge on the need for language, the spread of it, the influence of phonetics, the adoption of words across cultures, the traveling and morphing of languages from one to the other
bulbul Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 [ame=http://www.amazon.com/curious-origins-common-phrases-ebook/dp/B003L0QQXG]http://www.amazon.com/curious-origins-common-phrases-ebook/dp/B003L0QQXG[/ame]
Ram Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 I am going with the 2nd one. I dont think anyone inducts a new word into the dictionary knowing it is 'cool' or 'will become famous'. Many 100s of words are added to the english language every year, not all of them catch on.
Stuge Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 http://www.amazon.com/curious-origins-common-phrases-ebook/dp/B003L0QQXG thats looks like an interesting book .
Prakat Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Outy, you've opened the doors to a fascinating subject and lively field of study. This involves sociology, anthropology and communication apart from linguistics and language studies. As you have highlighted (1) our daily language is peppered (2) with instances where we see words that are a part of one trade/study/field/culture are happily imported (3) into everyday use or into a completely different field. This cross-fertilization (4) of course enriches and informs our understanding of what was meant to be communicated. An observed trend is that a word from a more common or old field is co-opted in discussions about a relatively more arcane or newer topic. This bridges (5) the gaps in understanding by facilitating comprehension of novel concepts in known and familiar terms. In fact, language would be dull and boring if this wasn't as common as it is.
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