Flexibility

There's something truly fascinating about language.

It's the way that a term can change in meaning, context to context - and how it can be used with multiple meanings at the same time.

I had a conversation yesterday that will remain with me for a long time. It involved the word "single".

Usually used to describe an individual object or unattached person.

In LARP used as SINGLE, a damage call that indicates a single point of damage, that typically can't be used more then once a second. So "Single....single...single" would be the slowest rate you could inflict damage.

Where as to me now (and to one other twisted individual) it now refers to something that should never happen. Which is beyond bad and wrong. And funny beyond belief.

And yet - and yet every time I now use the word, which will be almost every time I go LARPing I will be reminded of this conversation. And I will be smiling, no matter how inappropriate.

Language - possibly the greatest thing we've ever made. Certainly the funnyist.