• Dasus@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    People really misuse the word “liminal”.

    Sort of how “literally” became to be used as just emphasis.

    A liminal space is occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold. But because a lot of the liminal spaces had this vague creepy empty feeling, now people use “liminal” to mean “vaguely eery” or words to that effect.

    • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Well here you could argue that this is a liminal space because it’s in between conferences. The sense of emptiness then comes from the space existing in a transitory state between its usual purposeful states.

    • Troy@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      Language is evolving. I agree with you but we will lose this fight in the long term ;)

      • Dasus@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Well yes, but no, but yes.

        I understand that “literally” can be colloquially used to mean “figuratively”, or just as emphasis, but it’ll take a while yet for the prescriptive meaning to be “overridden”, and given how well we record history currently, given context, it will never fully lose that meaning.

        I think the same logic applies here.

        I’m not going to say someone is incorrect in using it in a way that doesn’t fit the prescriptive meaning, but just know that mentally I’ll be very mildly frowning at that.

    • PumaStoleMyBluff@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      An interpretation of that definition still works with context; these empty places feel like a metaphysical waiting room or purgatory, a space between this life and the next, between this dimension and the next, etc., depending on what spirituality, philosophy, or fantasy is convenient

  • Troy@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    This could literally be in any big hotel in any city and it would look the same haha.

  • superkret@feddit.org
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    2 months ago

    The room looks like 2 twin girls are gonna appear soon, and ask you to play with them forever.