Divided by a common language

[ankhor]

Hmmm names can be a tricky thing, a common name here is 'Dik' , and a cook is 'kok'.
So, if he chooses a career in the catering business, he would be, kok Dik.
In English that would be hilarius and unexceptable.

And some other thing is dictionaries.As an atheist (no god or gods belief, the correct definition.)
I see many annoying examples.

'atheist - someone who denies the existence of god'

I can only deny if the existance is established. So not a good definition.

'disbeliever, nonbeliever, unbeliever - someone who refuses to believe (as in a divinity)'

The word 'refuse', is ridiculous in this, also impying that there is such a thing.

'atheism Disbelief in, or denial of, the existence of a god.'

Sentence also implies the excistance already.

'a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings'

Supreme can be anything, doesn`t have to be a God.

'the doctrine or belief that there is no God.'

I have no doctrine.

'A person who lacks belief in a god or gods'

I don`t have a believe in a God, and it is not a choice.
And 'lack'? I don`t think I 'lack'(shortage off) a believe.
Just like Christians don`t lack a believe in Zeus, they just don`t believe it.

Ah well, this is one of my hangups, never mind

[Big Frank]

Just like Christians don`t lack a believe in Zeus, they just don`t believe it.

i can't quite believe you just said that

[gwpriester]

Denis - How did this topic turn into a commentary on atheism?

Grace's idea is English words that mean different things in England than they do in the USA.

For example, we say Saran Wrap for a clear plastic that is used to wrap food and keep it from spoiling. The British call it "cling film".

[handrawn]

Denis, the english word you are maybe looking for is 'agnostic' - an atheist has a belief, as you say, even if it is a 'denial belief', but an agnostic simply does not know, and is happy to admit it

good philosophic point about 'not believing' not being the same as 'lacking a belief' - 'lacking a belief' being the viewpoint of someone who believes, which someone who does not believe doesn't have.

but maybe lost a bit of impact and clarity due to english not being your first language .... [and difficult to get clear even when it is ]

and possibly not what Grace intended

[angelize]

Here in Canada we call it plastic wrap.

What handrawn called a dresser we call a sideboard

[handrawn]

ah a sideboard is what you put kelt [junk, old books, unwanted gifts, frank's clothes] in, unless the other half puts their foot down and insists its used for storing 'useful' stuff - in fact all the stuff that does not quite fit in the cupboard [built in storage area own door] under the stairs...

my other half tells me that 'dresser' [not to be confused with 'dressing table' which is a bedroom item with mirror] is really 'welsh dresser' and I am too lazy to say it in full [I blame my gran]

[angelize]

This thread has brought to mind a funny story about the way that things can get confusing. My husband and I have a friend who lives in South Australia, and one day we arranged a video chat with her. I was showing her a hat that I had given my husband for his birthday, it was an imported (from Australia) wide brimmed hat made of oiled cotton. I thought it looked like the one that Harrison Ford wore in the Indiana Jones movie.

Any way we showed it to our friend and she called it a Kabra and I thought she was saying cobra. I'm saying no it's not made of snake skin, no it doesn't have a snake on it, and she kept saying "no Kabra" lol it turns out Kabra is short for Kakabara (I might not be spelling this right) a famous brand of hats in Australia! and kabra has become a general term for this style of hat.

[ankhor]

Yeah sorry. I wrote it was one of my personal hang ups
And I just came out of a chatroom where this discussion was going in
and I was stil in that mindframe. So Gary you were right, it was not the
same. But still, if the meaning of words aren`t clear to begin with.....
So it wasn`t about atheism , it was an example. How people describe
things from their point of view.

Handdraw got it, although the point about not being the first langauge is
a faulty one, people who speak more languages actually develop a better language feeling
because they have a broader base of words and meanings. And actually the word 'lack' comes
from my language from the word 'laken'

So again sorry if it went into a different direction I went for the broader misunderstandings
of language.

And I know the word agnostic, they are the most fun in discussions, because they can
jump to any position while in the discussion for their believe is undefined.

Now excuse me, I have to bash my head against the wall after the 20st
'acces violation' today in XXP5. Well, it atleast teaches you to save regularly,
which I do now.

[handrawn]

well lets just say it obviously wasn't that clear to some native english speakers

[Drwyd]

Now excuse me, I have to bash my head against the wall after the 20st
'acces violation' today in XXP5.

God moves in mysterious ways