Quote:
Originally Posted by darryl
I think you have missed the "fig." appearing before this part of the Oxford Dictionary definition, which is simply not applicable in this context.
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As HarryT has made clear in his post I quote below, I did not miss the "fig." at all. I several times referred to "figuratively described" in my post. Apparently, you missed those references when you read my post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
The key here, though, is the expression "figuratively described". It's a figure of speech; it's not actually true.
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It is an allowable metaphor therefore its usage is correct. Of course if one wants to be entirely literal our language would be a very sterile one, and those who insist on speaking literally tiresome to pay attention to.
So for the case of the likes of ebooks, which everyone seems to have difficulty describing in some substantive way I suggest that for most that regarding them as being tangible, whether that is metaphorically or not, is an entirely reasonable usage and I agree with Murg's usage.
Of course, it may be that as Murg and myself live in the far flung reaches of the British Empire our understanding of the English language is still severely limited. Alternatively it may be that our remoteness from the apron strings means we are more inclined to move with the times and are more accepting of changes of usage to suit the new situations that progress brings upon us: a quality we and our American cousins share with the OED, at least with respect to spelling.
Anyway, I am away sailing for a month or so, so have far more interesting things to pursue than denouncing the blinkering of thought and expression brought about by the purely literal (and which is straying off topic), so will leave it at that.