What do words mean?

Having simply asked the question "what is a terrorist" in ask.com, and google as well as checking the dictionary(book) im wondering if the term terrorist has changed in its meaning since 9/11.

In the dictionary itself terrorism is defined as
"the unoficial or unauthorised use of violence in pursuit of political aims"

ask.com
noun: a radical who employs terror as a political weapon

google
a person relating to terrorism?? ok so define terrorism=The sustained clandestine use of violence for a political purpose.


My dictionary was published in 2003 so anyone with older dictionaries it would be intresting to see what yours define terrorism to be.
i am actually wondering wether these terrorists have been misnamed, as they are not following any definitions of a terrorist. ie, what are their political aims???? mass panic???

Could the coinage of the word terroist, and terrorism have been mutated by the media into a totally different meaning?

eg People who like violence, and follow a religious belief, rather than political.


i believe that the media is mearly using the word terrorism because it is an intimadating word that people believe as they have heard it so often.

this is my 2nd post and would be intrested asto what others think.

my 1996 dictionary (The Macquarie consise dictionary )says

Terrorism .n
1. The use of terrorising methods
2. the state of fear and submission so produced
3. a method of resisting a government of of governing by deliberate acts of armed violence

Terrorise .v.t
1. to fill or overcome with terror
2. to dominate or coerce by intimidation

According to one of my dictionaries, published in 1972,

Terrorist: a person who favors or practices terrorism.

Terrorism: the policy of using acts inspiring terror as a method of ruling or of conducting political opposition.

crap....I can't find my dictionary.

I think the word terrorist only applies if there is an agenda involved. It's someone who uses fear and intimidation to achive a goal.

As an example, i once saw a Bigfoot. It scared the crap out of me. Does that mean Bigfoot is a terrorist? No. He wasn't trying to scare the crap out of me, he was just walking back into the woods.

If someone saw a ghost and was scared silly, does that make the ghost a terrorist? No, Maybe, depends on the ghosts motives.

Someone blows up a building. Does that make them a terrorist? It depends on why they blew up the building. There are demolition experts that blow up buildings all the time so that new buildings can be built.

If someone uses terror as a means to achieve a goal, be it political or personal, than they are a terrorist.

Thats my two nickels on it anyway.

Love and light,

Wupy

it will be interesting to see how this definition changes over time

what is a "terrorists" actual political issue? I mean in Northern island it was about religion and not being part of britain, but what is Al quaedai(not sure on spelling) actualy after, do they have any real political issues??

If they dont have any political issues are they really terrorists?? hmmmm couldnt they be freedom fighters, inspiring fear into the"enemy" why call them terrorists?

just an idea

terrorist(n): any !@#$ who #*%$ with us

but seriously, a terrorist as we believe uses fear and violence, or "terror", as a means of forwarding his/her own agenda.....why not call people who use these means terrorists as they are installing fear to further their goals (which in this day and age seems to be the downfall of the free world).

It would sound funny called scarism or hateism, but I think people who purposely and willingly kill and/or destroy property and structures for the whole benefit of taking lives and causing hysteria and chaos should be labeled a terrorist.

Does this include serial killers and the like? To a degree, but they also have their labels.....murderer, of course serial killer, etc..., but I don't believe these titles sum up the atrocities of which a terrorist operates and is capable of. A terrorist is all these things and more.

To install fear into their enemy is a main objective, but a terrorist nowadays is a destructive force that will not stop at any means to succeed a goal of destruction and bloodshed. So yes, I think the word terrorist fits.

the funniest thing ever is that dictionaries and history- as it follows needs to be updated once and a while.

so if words means anything they are a sign of the times.

7-11 may mean something to us, but is it in the dictionairy?

context is key to interpretation, and "terrioists" are just whatever is convienient.

nothing likea slurpee on a hot day.

just feels good, untill the headache

Terrorist is a diluted term at the moment......I think that 9/11 put more of a focus on the word and it's use has dramatically increased because it's a "red flag" word. People usually pay attention to the word because it has associated with destruction and fear............

Because of the now high connotation value, I recommend a critical assessment of anything having been described as terrorist related. baaronhaile is right, context is a valuable tool for understanding especiallyt with the high use of allegorical communications......many words get used for an exaggerated affect, subsequently, details and objectivity get neglected........




Btw, the thread title is kind of misleading.........I thought it would be a discussion about the different ways to interpret word usage in the english language regarding connotations, associations, and possible regional influences.........

"Terrorist is a diluted term at the moment"

seems to sum up what this word actually is all about, labeling anyone who wants to hurt innocent people and cause fear. Nice point


sorry about the thread title but thought it was appropriate when i posted it, learning the ins and outs of ats and realise that a different name should have been used.

Sorry for misleading anyone.
Probably more along the lines of " what does the word terrorism mean"

thanks

Originally posted by rowingcrazy

sorry about the thread title but thought it was appropriate when i posted it, learning the ins and outs of ats and realise that a different name should have been used.

Sorry for misleading anyone.
Probably more along the lines of " what does the word terrorism mean"

No need to be sorry.......I appreciated the topic anyway......

By the way, welcome to ATS.......I hope that you enjoy your stay and look forward to reading your posts.....

Originally posted by MemoryShock
Btw, the thread title is kind of misleading.........I thought it would be a discussion about the different ways to interpret word usage in the english language regarding connotations, associations, and possible regional influences.........

Yeah, really. I wanted to talk about the meaning of the word "chair" or the different forms of "love."

Originally posted by RANT
Yeah, really.

I wanted to talk about the meaning of the word "chair" or the different forms of "love."

That's an easy one. "Ban 'loves' to hit people with a 'chair'".

Originally posted by RANT
Yeah, really.

I wanted to talk about the meaning of the word "chair" or the different forms of "love."

What do you mean? My impression of the title was that words can have an influence on how people make decisions........an aspect of mind control.

Kind of like the phrase, "The pen is mightier than the sword."