General Discussion

Igel

(35,296 posts)

14. Because it isn't.

Mon Jan 26, 2015, 09:57 PM

Jan 2015

The idea that a word means what its etymology says is a fallacy.

Words can change meanings. Words can have idiosyncratic meanings.

Words obtain their meaning from the community that they're used in. "Anti-semitic" has never meant merely "being opposed to Semites." It was coined to indicate antipathy towards Jews, and that's where it's meaning has stayed.

One day it might change it's meaning to include "anti-Arabist", but at that point presumably the usage will also change to reflect the change in meaning. Rather than having somebody try to foist a new meaning on current usage to invert the content of the discourse.

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16 replies

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Semites... [View all] SummerSnow Jan 2015 OP

Ignorance prevails. elleng Jan 2015 #1

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Jan 2015 #2

Shh! Iggo Jan 2015 #3

Except in modern connotation in the U.s. It means anti-Jewish still_one Jan 2015 #4

Since you're using Wiki.... tammywammy Jan 2015 #5

Since the letter v is shaped like a wedge, it must be in cuneiform. Donald Ian Rankin Jan 2015 #6

But why isn't it used toward any other Semitic people? SummerSnow Jan 2015 #7

Bc the word is a misnomer. tammywammy Jan 2015 #8

it's a bit like the word "Caucasian" foo_bar Jan 2015 #9

Because it isn't. Igel Jan 2015 #14

Nope. NuclearDem Jan 2015 #10

The "Semites don't always mean Jews" trope is, itself, anti-Semitic, Nye Bevan Jan 2015 #11

I don't understand why people ever hated "Jews". And I don't understand how or why this 2banon Jan 2015 #12

Because they accused them of killing Jesus, and never accepted Jesus as god still_one Jan 2015 #16

Except that isn't what the word means. nt Codeine Jan 2015 #13

So you lost a simple debate with a racist GummyBearz Jan 2015 #15