Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Ireland Collaboration/statementbyMusicInTheHouse

Discussion

As 1 of only 2 editors who disagree with my statement, can I ask why exactly you disagree with it? I am interested in the spirit of consensus and would like to hear some one else's point of view of why my statement is incorrect in their eyes. You can give your reply here. Thanks.MusicInTheHouse (talk) 18:31, 17 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Disagree with 3. Don't see how there can be two primary meanings. Seems like a contradiction in terms. Mooretwin (talk) 09:21, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

OK, why can't a word have two major meanings to it? Can a word/name really have only one meaning? I find that a bit hard to believe. For example if I said I went to Georgia last week, the two main places I could be talking about are the US State and the Eurasian country. Also if I were to say 'Turkey is nice' I could be describing how I like the meat or how I like the country as there are two primary meanings to that word. Can you explicitly what the primary meaning of Turkey is around the world? Or is there simply two main meanings? That is also the case with the word Ireland. Here is a clear and obvious example of how Ireland can have two primary meanings and that both are acceptable.

"There weren't very many athletes that competed for Ireland at the Olympics."

"The Ireland national rugby union team may win the Grandslam at the weekend."

As you can see Ireland here is used in two different statements, one to mean the island and one to mean the sovereign state. For this example I used sporting bodies to prove my point. Neither statement is wrong or more important than the other. Both are completely acceptable and accurate statements, thus proving my point number 3. Do you still disagree and why?MusicInTheHouse (talk) 12:05, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A word could have two major meanings to it, but only one of them could be a primary meaning. Mooretwin (talk) 12:26, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

How does one determine a primary meaning? It the primary meaning of a word set to the same standard around the world or does primary meaning differ between different people's point of views and their circumstances?MusicInTheHouse (talk) 12:31, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I shouldn't imagine that there are any set criteria. Mooretwin (talk) 12:37, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

You've just admitted that the main or primary meaning of a word can differ between people, therefore admitted that point 3 of my statement is correct. Any thoughts on that?MusicInTheHouse (talk) 12:40, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm afraid your logic doesn't work. People disagreeing over a word's primary meaning doesn't mean it has two "primary" meanings. It means it has two meanings, but that there is a disagreement over which one is primary. Mooretwin (talk) 13:06, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]