I’ve heard it explained that “hey” used to be more of an urgent way to get someone’s attention, rather than a casual “hello” like it is now, so it sounded rude to some older folks.
I’ve heard it explained that “hey” used to be more of an urgent way to get someone’s attention, rather than a casual “hello” like it is now, so it sounded rude to some older folks.
You’re right, why should words actually have an inherent meaning? 🤦🏻♂️
They’re idiomatic phrases people are supposed to say by custom, divorced from their literal meanings.
Which is fine if you’re just chatting amongst your friends. Unfortunately, that’s not what this is about.
They literally don’t (with the possible exception of onomatopoeic words), one of the defining factors of language is that it is arbitrary.
They do not? All words are invented and meanings morph over time.