New M-W definition: WTF????

[Phillycat]

So Merriam Webster recently announced its list of new words. One of them is pescatarian, which they define as "a vegetarian whose diet includes fish".

Um. If someone eats fish, doesn't that mean they're NOT A VEGETARIAN? Wouldn't it be more precisely defined as "a person who limits their meat intake to fish only"?

This is why the English language is slowly being destroyed. When a DICTIONARY can't be bothered to define something properly and instead chooses the laziest way possible, I weep for our future. :banghead: :cry:

[Richardo]

1. ...

[Phillycat]

2. YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT.

:cry:

[Richardo]

5. I'm a carnetarian

A vegetarian whose diet includes meat. :D

[Phillycat]

9. LOL!

Yes, I'm a cheeseburger-tarian. A vegetarian who exclusively eats cheeseburgers. :eyes:

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. Isn't that just Catholics during lent?

:shrug:

[Phillycat]

4. No.

A lot of people have fish-only omnivore diets. But that's not really the point, is it?

[hedgehog]

6. I thought this post was about transgendered people!

[Phillycat]

10. HA!

[Schema Thing]

7. I agree it's irritating, but....

... it's been irritating for decades, hearing people say they where vegetarian "except for fish... and some chicken". I shit you not.

How long till M-W comes up with a definition that includes chicken?


:shakes head at the wonder of it:

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. That's my sister.

Mostly a vegetarian, except she'll eat fish, and on occassion chicken.

I guess whatever it is where one doesn't eat red meat?

[Phillycat]

11. Well, people are dumb. But DICTIONARIES are supposed to be held to

a higher standard! :cry: Why the fuck did I even bother to get an English degree, when even the institutions that are supposed to provide the example for others are flinging themselves toward Idiocracy? :grr:

[Schema Thing]

25. I certainly agree that people are dumb

language is fluid though, and dictionaries should be too I suppose.

It's not a bad thing that language is fluid, it's more like a law of nature.

[MrCoffee]

12. well hell, I thought they finally defined WTF

Nice subject line, Dave Navarro.

[Phillycat]

15. How many people do you think would have clicked

if I'd titled the post "I'm pissed off about this dictionary definition"?

There is method to my madness. Not much, I grant you. :D

[MrCoffee]

17. Re-read the quoted material in that post

Now go lay down in a dark room somewhere.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Phillycat]

19. I know.

I think something might be wrong with me. :scared: :D

[mwooldri]

33. NC DMV certainly defined WTF...

And that's a real license tag too. Got withdrawn.

[flvegan]

13. "Baconetarian"

A vegetarian whose diet is made up entirely of bacon.

[Phillycat]

18. I know a guy like that.

Weirdly, he doesn't call himself a vegetarian. He just calls for his angioplasty. HA! I'll be here all week.

[Chan790]

30. I dated one of those...

One time. She ordered the Cobb salad. I pointed out the ingredients of a Cobb salad. She said: "Bacon is a vegetable." I left in the middle of the date.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. That is a lazy definition.

pescatarian: "a person who chooses to eat fish and seafood but not fowl or other meat."

How do they define vegetarian -a vegan who eats eggs and dairy products?


edited to add omitted word

[Phillycat]

20. Right?

:rofl:

[SacredCow]

16. Aside from the language issue....

Why does everything and everybody need to have some kind of stupid "label?"

[Phillycat]

21. Well, that's another issue entirely.

And I don't fault the dictionary people for that. :D

[Book Lover]

22. You have no idea the type of people who

are responsible for actually writing those entries... I've met a few and have not been impressed.

[Phillycat]

23. Really?

Man, writing dictionary definitions would be like a dream job for me.

...did I just say that out loud?

[Book Lover]

29. Yeah, on paper...

But the actual job is not high on the totem pole. Caveat: at least for US publishers. Maybe the OED has different standards.

[begin_within]

24. There was a guy on the local news who won a gift certificate to Donovan's Steak House

by competing in a brief contest against a golf pro. When they presented him with the gift certficate they said:

John Howard: "Here's a gift certificate for dinner for two at Donovan's Steak House."
Contestant: "Thank you very much."
John Howard: "Have you ever eaten at Donovan's?"
Contestant: "No, I haven't yet."
John Howard: "Great food. Are you a meat-eater or a vegetarian?"
Contestant: "Both."

[Phillycat]

26. Heh.

Yeah.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

27. Fish is not generally considered "meat"

Especially with respect to religious rites and rituals as well as most governmental regulations.

In fact, the American Heritage Dictionary defines "meat" as "1. The edible flesh of animals, especially that of mammals as opposed to that of fish or poultry."

(I got in a lengthy debate over this recently with some Orthodox Jewish friends. According to them, fish is NOT meat...been that way (for them) for over 3,000 years so I'm not going to quibble too much.)

Instead of condemning Merriam Webster as lazy, perhaps you should do a little research yourself.

[Phillycat]

28. I didn't define "meat". I defined "vegetarian".

Which is defined as "Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes all animal, including poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, and slaughter by-products."

Instead of condemning my post as unresearched, perhaps you should learn to read for comprehension.

Also, lose the snark, ass.

[ThomCat]

34. Just because a religion decided thousands of years ago

that fish is somehow not meat doesn't mean it now comes from a plant. We can all humor the religious fantasy that says that the flesh of a fish is not meat. I guess that's a pretty harmless fantasy as far as religions go. But I'll bet that even they'll say that fish are part of the animal kingdom, and fish doen't come from a plant.

I think the OP understands the issue very well, and your cheap criticism makes you look bad, not her.

[Burma Jones]

31. I think George Carlin was one of those

I mean, he prayed to Joe Peschi.......

[crimsonblue]

32. i'm a meatarian

meatarain - n. a vegetarian that eats meat.