'Actual' or 'Current' - that is the question…… - Page 3

Phil_MCR · #41 30.09.2011, 16:01

	Quote:	HashBrown
	That's actually (I couldn't resist) not true. A word only has meaning in what collectively speakers of that language agree upon at any given period of time. In this case, the dictionary gives an arcane meaning that 99.9% (totally made up figure) of the population does not presently recognise. Your stubborn insistence will only create confusion when you use it your way. It's best not to confuse non-native speakers with such usage which clashes with dominant usage.

and is especially when actual meaning is the opposite to the intended meaning e.g. "Then my boss literally bit my head off".

Phil_MCR · #42 30.09.2011, 16:03

	Quote:	zymogen
	You're confusing. How can you complain about non-native speakers doing it wrong if you bunch can't agree on the correct use?

just that some speak "actual english", whereas others speak "current english"

golly · #43 30.09.2011, 16:07

	Quote:	st2lemans
	As a native English speaker, I was taught that if a definition is given in the dictionary, then it is valid to use a word as meaning such. That one doesn't agree with one or more definitions of a word does not change the validity of using a word in such manner. Tom

Hi Tom
The actual time of your post is no longer current.
vs
The current time of your post is no longer actual.

amogles · #44 30.09.2011, 16:08

	Quote:	Captain Greybeard
	That's what's called "false friends." You think you know the word but in the other language it's not what you think. There are hundreds of lists on the Internets, for just about any combination of two languages. Besides that, there even are lots of originally German words in English that have a totally different meaning, for instance spiel, clutz, to putz, to name just a few. Same with English words borrowed from other languages, such as chef, entrée, anxious and many more.

They even exist between English English and American English: pavement, bonnet, entree, transportation, billion, biscuit etc etc are all words that can lead to misunderstandings.