Today in class we discussed the idea that language is a very strong tool. The idea was mentioned with regard to the saying, "oh its just a _____" meaning something is not very special or important. Well it was mentioned that one should never say something like that because it is a very limiting way of speaking. It limits oneself to other possible description of something. Here is a conversation as an example...
Man 1: Cut down your tree, I'm sick of racking up the leaves that fall into my yard.
Man 2: But it's a glorious oak tree that's lived for thousands of years.
Man 1: It's just a tree.
Another example of this can be with a mother
Possibly a wife
Also a daughter<
Mother <
Possibly a sister
Language is a very powerful tool and to say something is "only" something, it is very limiting to what it could also possibly be.
Therefore, the question I pose is, by not limiting oneself in the way they speak, could something that is clearly not something else be that something else, as long as you don't label it as "only" something?
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