Understanding Language: More Mutating Meanings

The "Awful Day of the Brave Undertaker" becomes "The Somber Day of the Skilled Undertaker"

Note: More linguistic shennanigans courtesy of ChatGPT.

You said:

Well, maybe for a start, take 25 words whose meanings have shifted since, let's say, for argument's sake, the beginning of the 1800s and then the beginning of the 2000s. And we'll take those 25 words and define them doubly, once in terms of what they meant in the 1800s, the beginning of the 1800s, and what they mean in the 2000s. And then we'll use a sampling of those words, maybe 15 words, I don't know. You select and craft a story which can be interpreted extremely differently depending on when you lived. Go ahead and do it.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a list of 25 words that have undergone significant shifts in meaning since the early 1800s, followed by a story that can be interpreted differently depending on the meanings of these words at the start of the 1800s versus the 2000s.

25 Words with Double Definitions

1. Awful
   1800s: Full of awe, inspiring reverence.
   2000s: Very bad or unpleasant.

2. Artificial
   1800s: Crafted by human skill; not natural, but not necessarily inferior.
   2000s: Fake or inferior, often viewed negatively compared to natural.

3. Brave
   1800s: Showy, ostentatious.
   2000s: Courageous, willing to face danger.

4. Fantastic
   1800s: Unreal, imaginary.
   2000s: Extremely good or extraordinary.

5. Indifferent
   1800s: Impartial or unbiased.
   2000s: Not caring or uninterested.

6. Egregious
   1800s: Remarkably good, outstanding.
   2000s: Shockingly bad, glaringly offensive.

7. Clue
   1800s: A ball of thread used to guide, as in a labyrinth.
   2000s: A piece of evidence pointing to a solution.

8. Manufacture
   1800s: To make something by hand.
   2000s: To produce something on a large scale, typically using machines.

9. Nervous
   1800s: Full of energy or vigor.
   2000s: Anxious or jittery.

10. Silly
    1800s: Innocent or simple.
    2000s: Foolish or lacking in seriousness.

11. Terrific
    1800s: Causing terror or fear.
    2000s: Extremely good or wonderful.

12. Bully
    1800s: Excellent or first-rate.
    2000s: A person who habitually intimidates or harms others.

13. Gay
    1800s: Joyful, happy, or bright.
    2000s: Homosexual.

14. Nice
    1800s: Precise or subtle.
    2000s: Pleasant or kind.

15. Villain
    1800s: A lowly servant or peasant.
    2000s: An evil or wicked person.

16. Bachelor
    1800s: A young knight or apprentice.
    2000s: A man who is unmarried.

17. Decimate
    1800s: To kill one in every ten.
    2000s: To destroy a large portion of something.

18. Doctor
    1800s: A learned scholar or teacher.
    2000s: A person licensed to practice medicine.

19. Mad
    1800s: Crazy or mentally disturbed.
    2000s: Angry or upset.

20. Rehearse
    1800s: To narrate or recite.
    2000s: To practice or prepare for a performance.

21. Girl
    1800s: Any young person, regardless of gender.
    2000s: A female child or young woman.

22. Meat
    1800s: Any form of food.
    2000s: Flesh of animals used as food.

23. Want
    1800s: To lack or be without something.
    2000s: To desire something.

24. Fathom
    1800s: To measure the depth of something.
    2000s: To understand something deeply.

25. Undertaker
    1800s: Someone who undertakes any task.
    2000s: A person who prepares the dead for burial.

Story Using 15 of the Words (with dual interpretations):

The Awful Day of the Brave Undertaker

It was a truly awful morning, the sun's fantastic light breaking through the clouds, casting artificial shadows across the village. The brave undertaker, known for his bully nature, walked through the streets with a nervous gait. He had just been asked to manufacture something unusual for the town—a task that would be terrific in scope.

With indifferent eyes, he surveyed the scene before him, preparing to face the day’s challenges. He was known for his egregious talents, and although some thought him silly, they couldn't deny that he had a nice way of handling difficult situations. Today, however, was different. Today, his actions might decimate what was left of the village’s peace.

As he reached the center of the town, a clue came to him about how he might proceed, but the more he tried to fathom the task ahead, the more confused he became. He needed to act quickly, for the task was urgent, but even a villain like him knew there was something deeper to this mad situation.

Interpretation in the Early 1800s:

• Awful: The morning was awe-inspiring, filled with reverence.

• Fantastic: The light was unreal, otherworldly.

• Artificial: The shadows cast by human-made structures were impressive and carefully crafted.

• Brave: The undertaker was ostentatious or showy in his appearance.

• Bully: The undertaker was excellent and first-rate at his job.

• Nervous: The undertaker was energetic and ready to take on his task.

• Manufacture: The undertaker was expected to create something by hand.

• Terrific: The task was fearsome, perhaps dangerous.

• Indifferent: The undertaker was impartial, cool-headed as he surveyed the scene.

• Egregious: His talents were remarkably good.

• Silly: The undertaker was innocent or simple-minded, perhaps unbothered by the weight of the situation.

• Nice: The undertaker handled situations with precision and skill.

• Decimate: His actions would reduce the town's unrest by a controlled portion.

• Clue: He had a guiding thread of thought to help him.

• Villain: He was of low social standing, possibly a servant or laborer.

• Mad: The situation was wild or chaotic, not entirely rational.

Interpretation in the 2000s:

• Awful: The morning was terrible and unpleasant.

• Fantastic: The light was extraordinary, bright, and impressive.

• Artificial: The shadows were fake or unnatural.

• Brave: The undertaker was courageous.

• Bully: The undertaker was domineering or abusive in nature.

• Nervous: The undertaker was anxious and uneasy.

• Manufacture: He was expected to produce something on a large scale, perhaps with machinery.

• Terrific: The task was wonderful and exciting.

• Indifferent: The undertaker didn’t care about what was happening.

• Egregious: His talents were shockingly bad or overblown.

• Silly: The undertaker was foolish or careless.

• Nice: He handled situations pleasantly or kindly.

• Decimate: His actions would destroy or eliminate most of the village's peace.

• Clue: He had a piece of information that might help him solve the problem.

• Villain: He was an evil or morally corrupt person.

• Mad: The situation was making people angry or upset.

Conclusion: The same story would have vastly different interpretations depending on whether the reader is from the 1800s or the 2000s. The undertaker, who might have been seen as a showy but skillful craftsman in the 1800s, is viewed in the 2000s as a domineering and potentially corrupt character. The words carry radically different meanings, reflecting how language evolves and how these shifts can influence our perception of events, characters, and tone.

You said:

Now, paraphrase the story using words whose meaning has not changed so that it would be understood identically by both the people in ages past and more current people. It's a challenge for you. It would be interesting to see if you can do it.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a paraphrase of the story using words whose meanings have remained consistent over time. The goal is to create a version that would be understood in the same way by both people from the early 1800s and those from the 2000s.

The Somber Day of the Skilled Undertaker

It was a solemn morning, the sun’s bright light breaking through the clouds, casting long shadows across the village. The skilled undertaker, known for his strong nature, walked steadily through the streets. He had just been asked to complete an unusual task for the town—a responsibility that would be large in scope.

With careful eyes, he surveyed the scene before him, preparing to face the day’s demands. He was known for his remarkable abilities, and although some thought him strange, they couldn’t deny that he handled difficult situations with care. Today, however, was different. Today, his actions might change what was left of the village’s peace.

As he reached the center of the town, a thought came to him about how he might proceed, but the more he tried to understand the task ahead, the more unsure he became. He needed to act quickly, for the task was urgent, but even a man like him knew there was something deeper at work in this unsettling situation.

Key Paraphrasing Adjustments:

·         Awful → Solemn
The word "solemn" has always carried the meaning of seriousness or formality, fitting both time periods.

·         Fantastic → Bright
"Bright" is a straightforward term that maintains the description of the sunlight in both eras.

·         Artificial → Long
Describing shadows as "long" is a neutral description that wouldn't change over time.

·         Brave → Strong
"Strong" is a more timeless word that conveys the undertaker's resilience without the shifting meanings of "brave."

·         Bully → Skilled
"Skilled" replaces the ambiguous "bully," clearly conveying the undertaker's competence.

·         Nervous → Steady
"Steady" avoids the shifting interpretation of "nervous" and works well in both periods.

·         Manufacture → Complete
"Complete" conveys the idea of finishing a task without the baggage of how "manufacture" has evolved.

·         Terrific → Large
"Large" focuses on the size or importance of the task, staying neutral across both eras.

·         Indifferent → Careful
"Careful" is more appropriate here, avoiding the dual meanings of "indifferent."

·         Egregious → Remarkable
"Remarkable" keeps the sense of being notable or impressive, avoiding the dramatic shift in meaning.

·         Silly → Strange
"Strange" replaces "silly" to describe how others view the undertaker without introducing a modern sense of foolishness.

·         Nice → Care
"Care" describes how the undertaker approaches his work, avoiding the shifting meanings of "nice."

·         Decimate → Change
"Change" is more neutral, preserving the idea that his actions will affect the town without the historical baggage of "decimate."

·         Clue → Thought
"Thought" fits both time periods and keeps the meaning straightforward.

·         Villain → Man
"Man" avoids the shifting connotations of "villain" while still describing the character.

Outcome: This version of the story avoids words with evolving meanings and presents a narrative that would be understood identically by readers in both the early 1800s and the 2000s. The challenge lies in maintaining the original tone and storyline while ensuring the words chosen don’t carry any modern connotations that would confuse older readers, or outdated meanings that would perplex newer ones.