Ok, let's put this to bed.

If I want to communicate effectively I'll choose words that are precise and
without pretense.

The word GIFT as the original poster used it, is good. It communicates the
point accurately, without generalization. Example:

Give me the box.

Now, does this mean "hand the box to me"? It can. It could also mean
"Transfer the ownership of that box from you to me."

If I say "Gift me the box" well, there is left little room for
interpretation. It means one thing only, namely "Transfer ownership of that
box from you to me without something of value in return"

This is good communication, as the language used is precise and isn't
flowery.

Do you now understand a value of accurate communication, pennyaline, or do
you still think that the OED is best used as a doorstop?




"wbw" > wrote in message
...
> In chi.forsale Pennyaline
> wrote:
>
> > Sorry guys, but GIFT is wrong. It's one of the products of sound bite
> > mentality, where day to day language and usage is shaped to resemble
> > advertisements. Frankly, I couldn't care less if you find it in the OED.
> > That it's there doesn't mean it's correct. It only means that it's used.
>
> Look, the OED has multiple examples of the word being used in this way,
> dating back to the Late 16th Century (1570-1599). They're not ****ing
> around... they've done the research and they have the documentation.
> You're telling me that the "sound bite mentality" existed in Shakespeare's
> day? We're talking about the time in which Modern English really came
> into its own as a language, as far as I know.