Marriage redefined in Webster's - fundies erupt

[cynatnite]

Well, I guess it's too late to stop the redefinition of marriage, you retrograde bible-thumpers. Change has come to Merriam--Webster's Dictionary, and this is the current definition for the word "marriage."

Main Entry:
mar·riage Listen to the pronunciation of marriage
Pronunciation:
?mer-ij, ?ma-rij\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English mariage, from Anglo-French, from marier to marry
Date:
14th century
1 a (1): the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage (same-sex marriage) b: the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock c: the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage

2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected ; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities

3: an intimate or close union the marriage of painting and poetry - J. T. Shawcross

"I was shocked to see that Merriam-Webster changed their definition of the word 'marriage,' a word which has referred exclusively to a contract between a man and a woman for centuries. It has now added same sex," YouTube user Eric B. noted to WND.
"The 1992 Webster's Dictionary does not mention same sex at all," he wrote.

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Associate Editor at Webster's, Kory Stamper responded to one irate wingnut with the obvious:

"We hear such criticism from all parts of the political spectrum. We're genuinely sorry when an entry in - or an omission from - one of our dictionaries is found to be offensive or upsetting, but we can't allow such considerations to deflect us from our primary job as lexicographers."

..."In recent years, this new sense of 'marriage' has appeared frequently and consistently throughout a broad spectrum of carefully edited publications, and is often used in phrases such as 'same-sex marriage' and 'gay marriage' by proponents and opponents alike. Its inclusion was a simple matter of providing our readers with accurate information about all of the word's current uses," Stamper wrote

more at the link:
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9981

[angstlessk]

1. wow...we can marry painting and poetry but not butch and bob?

sounds strange to me...the definition!

[nxylas]

2. So whatsisface was right

The dictionary DOES have a liberal bias!

[wryter2000]

10. I feel a Colbert rant coming on

He already hates books. :rofl:

[Mari333]

3. oh he who owns the medium owns the message

hooray for a new definition...! long overdue.

[Warpy]

4. For better or worse, definitions are written by the literate

even though some of them are divorced from reality when they try to define people like atheists.

Let no man put asunder the new and improved definition or marriage, though.

[rrneck]

5. That's how it

works. Common use determines what words mean. Ain't progress grand.

The fundies are left behind, standing alone like the proverbial bride at the altar...




Uh, edited for spelling. What was that about a dictionary...?

[moggie]

6. Do these idiots even know what a dictionary is for?

Webster's describes how the language is used, not how fundies wish it were used. What use would a dictionary be if it didn't reflect reality?

[nichomachus]

7. Anyone want to start a pool on which gang of Christians will hold the first book burning?

[WeDidIt]

8. They shouldn't be shocked, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CHANGED IT!

Merriam-Webster only alters definitions when total usage of a term warrants it.

If the fundie bastards hadn't been always tlaking "same-sex marriage this" and "same sex marriage that", the overall usage of the term "marriage" in the context of "same sex" would never have been high enough to warrant the alteration.

Just another example of unintended consequences. They waanted so badly to insure the definition of a term didn't change that they changed the defnition by referencing the change so much.

[nichomachus]

9. You're absolutely right -- I love it

You've got to love it when unintended consequences bites them in the ass.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RufusTFirefly]

12. Great to see the fundies get their comeuppance

Reminds of when O'Lielly made a huge fuss about Senator Franken's book and sent Al's sales through the roof.

Sometimes the good guys win with the unwitting help of the bad guys.

[callous taoboy]

14. Excellent! Thanks for that. I didn't know how that worked. eom

[lpbk2713]

13. These RWers are such an anachronism it's pathetic.

Good luck to Steele if he thinks he can even bring them up to as far as the horse and buggy days.

(Assuming, of course, that he has OxyRush's permission to advance them that far)

[GentryDixon]

15. Pity those poor fools.