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Words, words, words. Which ones bug you and why?

I think that's only true to a limited extent -- but it's a very interesting point. :cool:

The blind spot of most philosophers in this regard -- compared to for example linguists, or grammarians, clinical psychologists, literature guys, spiritual leaders, etc -- is precisely that they are rationalists ; which subsumes the assumption that thought, and therefore only performative language, constitutes the entirety of what could be termed as "understanding". It is an assumption that only the Nominalist, or positive-materialist, position can be considered as valid.

But this is not only to dismiss Perception itself, by attempting to diminish it into a mere "function" of rational cognition, in direct contradiction to its primary function as the source of all direct learning -- but it also diminishes the actual scope and versatility of language itself, which is no means limited by the assumptions belonging to any particular schools of philosophical thought.

If anything, I'd suggest the diametric opposite -- the openness of your world defines the doorways into your language.

Dang, J P, that's an awfully weighty exposition for a sunny Saturday morning. (Anybody got an aspirin?)

;)
 
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The one thing that caught me off guard (didn't upset me, though) was when people would say "Have fun!" Now that I'm back, people will say "Did you have fun?" I wouldn't call the pilgrimage fun, necessarily - physically challenging, yes (limping into allergies at the end of the day)- amazing and beautiful and, for me, transformative! But unless a person has experienced something like this, I think people just find it difficult to understand. Therefore, people use words that they can better understand, even if they use words I might not necessarily use. Interesting topic!

Albergues?
 
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Kahlil Gibran

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;
And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.
And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.
For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.

There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone.
The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape.
And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth which they themselves do not understand.
And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words.
In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue.
Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear;
For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered
When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.
This is so beautiful @TunaBlue5150. Gibby knew what I was trying to say all along:)
I had a very interesting experience as a 15 year old. Went to live in Japan for a year with a Japanese family, yet could not speak any Japanese. I acquired the language through immersion. Just as an infant mimics through observation, I acquired a second language, completely in context of the culture, through the people themselves. Beautiful people all around me mentored me with patience and tolerance. I got there...and by the end of 12 months I was very proficient and could read and write Japanese as well. HOwever, for the first three months, all I could do was watch and listen, and wait for it to stick. And wow....how much I learned by just observing. I did not feel excluded because I couldn't talk. I got really good at sign language, reading body language, facial expressions and cultural codes that I otherwise would have totally missed/ignored had I gone there knowing the language. We were communicating alright, but the words were irrelevant. The hugs when I was homesick, the beautiful meals, the caring gestures, the inclusion in a family....all so valuable and enriching. It all came from the heart, and I didn't need words to know that.
That's all I mean....human to human, the heart speaks incredibly loudly if the ears are given space to hear in the absence of superfluous speech.
I love this forum...and yes, without words, I would not be learning from any of you. So, I see the value...:D
 
WOW!
There sure were a lot of easily annoyed people posting on this thread.
 
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Have you noticed how their repetition when spoken robs them of all meaning?

Anyway, I was surprised to read some forum members reacting to the use of the word 'hike' in a thread yesterday? Personally, it drove me mad last year when people kept saying to me, 'Enjoy your holiday!'. Holiday? That struck me as a misapprehension about the camino which detracted from what I was going to put into the experience and what I hoped to get out of it. A lot of people say 'walk' rather than 'hike', and that too could imply something easygoing, and relative though these words are, as are our experiences, I don't consider any camino leading to SdC easy.

Does 'hike' bother you? What other words - camino-forum-related - bug you and why??

This OP needn't open up the can of worms that is pilgrim vs tourist, but if it does, we're ready for another joust, right? :eek:

Phil

In general I object to “bucket-list”. But when I hear the two words “Camino + bucket-list” together I roll my eyes. The Camino is definitely not just another thing to tick off.
 
In general I object to “bucket-list”. But when I hear the two words “Camino + bucket-list” together I roll my eyes. The Camino is definitely not just another thing to tick off.

hmmmmm, I can understand it from those who are mostly hikers, when they use the phrase to talk about the Camino as being one among many hiking trails that they want to experience in their hiking lives ... :cool:
 
The OP of this thread has left the forum and the thread was in deep slumber for a year and a half. I've become so Zen about this and similar topics that I'm close to feeling indifferent ;). But here's another contribution: the inflationary use of the word camino .... anything that can be remotely associated with the historical or contemporary journeys to Saint James in Santiago is now called camino this or camino that.
 
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While I understand comments about chatter and value silence, I also greatly value interactions with those I meet on the Camino. This thread seems awfully judgmental. To disparage simple comments of appreciation is absurd. I am on the Camino right now. Hoping I stay out of your way. God forbid I say, “Beautiful sunset.”
 
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This thread seems awfully judgmental. To disparage simple comments of appreciation is absurd. I am on the Camino right now. Hoping I stay out of your way. God forbid I say, “Beautiful sunset.”
I skimmed through all 212 messages of this thread to refresh my memory about what this was all about. As usual for long threads, it wanders into different directions. The main content, however, is that people from various corners of the world talk about language and what a variety of words - mainly words of the English language - mean to them or how they perceive them and why.

I enjoyed many comments as they are a notch above: "Do you know that rubber means (alternative option: doesn't mean) eraser" or "Don't say 'soy embarazado'" when you want to convey that you are embarrassed. :cool:
 
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Yeah but when people use "hike"as a verb!

???

OED --

hike, v. colloq. orig. dial. and U.S.

1.1 intr. a.1.a To walk or march vigorously or laboriously. b.1.b To walk for pleasure; to go for a long walk, or walking tour, spec. in the country. Also, to travel by any means.
 
OED --

hike, v. colloq. orig. dial. and U.S.

1.1 intr. a.1.a To walk or march vigorously or laboriously. b.1.b To walk for pleasure; to go for a long walk, or walking tour, spec. in the country. Also, to travel by any means.

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There's your problem! :p

(love & hugs)
 
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ddraver said:
Yeah but when people use "hike"as a verb!
OED --

hike, v. colloq. orig. dial. and U.S.

1.1 intr. a.1.a To walk or march vigorously or laboriously. b.1.b To walk for pleasure; to go for a long walk, or walking tour, spec. in the country. Also, to travel by any means.

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There's your problem! :p

I got curious and I looked up the word hike at the online dictionary https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hike (Merriam Webster is an American dictionary.) The first definition there is as an intransitive verb:
1a) -to go on a hike​

Further down the page they mention that they found the first use of the word with a meaning attached to a walk or walking.
First Known Use of hike
Verb - 1809, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a​
Noun - 1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1​

So it looks like the word hike was a verb first.
 
OED --

hike, v. colloq. orig. dial. and U.S.

1.1 intr. a.1.a To walk or march vigorously or laboriously. b.1.b To walk for pleasure; to go for a long walk, or walking tour, spec. in the country. Also, to travel by any means.

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There's your problem! :p

(love & hugs)

OED --

hike, v. colloq. orig. dial. and U.S.

1.1 intr. a.1.a To walk or march vigorously or laboriously. b.1.b To walk for pleasure; to go for a long walk, or walking tour, spec. in the country. Also, to travel by any means.

There's yours ... :cool:

example from same source : 1910 S. E. White Rules of Game v. viii, No animal in its senses would hike uphill and then down again. :p
 
Pah! I have never "hiked" anything in the UK, nor have I heard anyone else saying that

The true Brit "goes on a hike"

(My biggest bugbear with it is when biking, people get off and walk 10 steps over a tricky but and then say they "hiked" it. No you did not! You walked. You did not "hike" your chihuahua round the park..!)
 
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Words, words, words! They do get us into trouble. Words that are perfectly acceptable in one culture, may be very offensive in another. I only have to think of one poorly thought out tourism advertisement for Australia.

On the CSJ Facebook page there is currently a discussion that started because of a description of an early female Christian as a "badass".
 
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POV means "point of view." OTOH is "on the other hand."

And CYU means "see you soon, I hope, dearest Bekkah" -- please give my love to your wonderfully grouchy Paddy and my good friend ; might drop in next Spring sometime, if you will have me ?
 

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