Language and Culture Journal

Journal 3: Word Meaning Creative or Universal?

What do you think? That word meaning should be universal or people should be able to create their own meaning?

In different settings, people already do create their own meanings and definitions of words. I think of the movie where the reporter goes back to high school as an undercover student and there is that "one special boy" that could create a word and give it meaning. Everyone in the school followed his lead because they wanted to be as cool as him. Never Been Kissed. Rachel Ray created EVOO which is extra virgin olive oil, and the Websters dictionary added it as an official word. Webster's dictionary adds words every year. Shakespeare created words in his poetry and plays. (Authenticity debate set aside).

Though I understand that everyone can't go around creating words, because then no one would know would have common understanding of what the other person is saying or writing. I do believe that people naturally create words to fill in the blank when they do not know an appropriate word that fits. That does not mean that there is not a word that exists already but rather that the person does not know that word so he or she creates one that is appropriate.
Not only are words themselves created, but phrases are used to mean something different than the original word meanings. Its raining cats and dogs and other phrases have a different meaning than what the words actually mean. It is not actually raining cats and dogs.

The only thing about making up words like Shakespeare did and with phrases like its raining cats and dogs is that other cultures learning the language will not understand the difference between the intended meaning and the original meaning without study. The creation of words and phrases allows room for creativity but creates an unstable period in language until the meaning is well known so it can be widely interpreted and integrated in society.

Word count 307 not including the question