Definition of Monogamy/Monogamous

[applepansy]

In the last year or so I have noticed more and more people using the words monogamous and monogamy to describe someone who is only "dating" one person at a time. I'm not only hearing it in person but reading in books. The word does not apply to people who are in relationship prior to marriage. I would think authors and editors would read a dictionary.

When did the definition of monogamy change?

From Funk & Wagnall's:

Monogamy 1. The principle or practice of single marriage: opposed to bigamy and polygamy, and to digamy.

Another example of Satan's hand in our world?

[Guest]

In the last year or so I have noticed more and more people using the words monogamous and monogamy to describe someone who is only "dating" one person at a time. I'm not only hearing it in person but reading in books. The word does not apply to people who are in relationship prior to marriage. I would think authors and editors would read a dictionary.

When did the definition of monogamy change?

From Funk & Wagnall's:

Monogamy 1. The principle or practice of single marriage: opposed to bigamy and polygamy, and to digamy.

Another example of Satan's hand in our world?

I don't get why it is deemed evil to use the word monogamous to label an exclusive dating relationship...

[Lakumi]

In the last year or so I have noticed more and more people using the words monogamous and monogamy to describe someone who is only "dating" one person at a time. I'm not only hearing it in person but reading in books. The word does not apply to people who are in relationship prior to marriage. I would think authors and editors would read a dictionary.

When did the definition of monogamy change?

From Funk & Wagnall's:

Monogamy 1. The principle or practice of single marriage: opposed to bigamy and polygamy, and to digamy.

Another example of Satan's hand in our world?

what that people misuse a word?

[skippy740]

Monogamy is to marriage as "going steady" is to dating.

[pam]

Kind of like the phrase "going out." My kids used to say that even in early teens. It just meant there was a mutual like going on. I had to keep reminding them they weren't "going out" with someone until they were 16. :)

[classylady]

In the last year or so I have noticed more and more people using the words monogamous and monogamy to describe someone who is only "dating" one person at a time. I'm not only hearing it in person but reading in books. The word does not apply to people who are in relationship prior to marriage. I would think authors and editors would read a dictionary.

When did the definition of monogamy change?

From Funk & Wagnall's:

Monogamy 1. The principle or practice of single marriage: opposed to bigamy and polygamy, and to digamy.

Another example of Satan's hand in our world?

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to get at. My understanding of monogamy, or what we as a culture practice, is serial monogamy. If someone is widowed, and remarry, I would still consider them monogamous. The same for a divorced person that remarries.

[Vort]

I believe applepansy's point is that "monogamy" is a form of marriage, yet now is being freely applied to non-marital situations -- and, I would point out, with little or no sense of figurativeness or irony.

[Guest]

I would add that the trouble is the needing any distinction. Back in my day (LOL), if you made it a point to say you're dating someone, it meant that you were exclusive. But in this day of promiscuity being accepted and even expected, there is a sadness in the fact that you have to specify that you are seeing ONLY one person, and that's a big deal.

[applepansy]

I'm sorry I couldn't get back to the computer so for long. It was not intentional.

Thank you Vort. Yes, that was my point.

Monogamy isn't about dating period.

Anatess, I wouldn't use the word evil, but definitely misguided. Monogamy is referring to the sexual relationship in marriage. When used in our world today its referring to the sexual relationship between unmarried people, which is a sin. My problem is using the word monogamous to describe an unmarried relationship is making pre-marital sex sound ok and its definitely not ok.

[Dravin]

I recommend you avoid zoologists Apple, they apply the term to animal behavior.

I would think authors and editors would read a dictionary.

I can find plenty of dictionaries that include the extended meaning, including the Oxford English Dictionary. The zoological meaning in reference to the mating behavior of animals is also in there in case you were wondering. For the record, I think the shift in meaning is simply a case of living language. By and large people like having one or two word descriptions for things and so they'll appropriate similar terms and press them into service, if it sticks around long enough it gets added to the dictionary and commonly accepted definitions. For example, "virus" is catchier than "replicating malicious code".

I have to give you credit, you rarely see what basically amounts to a grammar complaint invoke Satan in all seriousness.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Dravin

[Swiper]

When did the definition of monogamy change?

From Funk & Wagnall's:

Monogamy 1. The principle or practice of single marriage: opposed to bigamy and polygamy, and to digamy.

Another example of Satan's hand in our world?

The term 'monogamy' is not restricted to the describing the principle of single marriage.

Merriam-Webster does include (1) "the condition or practice of having a single mate during a period of time" and (2) "the state or practice of having only one sexual partner during a period of time" in the definition of 'monogamy'.

Monogamy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The term is also being used to describe social pairing in animal mating systems.

Monogamy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Vort]

The term 'monogamy' is not restricted to the describing the principle of single marriage.

Merriam-Webster does include (1) "the condition or practice of having a single mate during a period of time" and (2) "the state or practice of having only one sexual partner during a period of time" in the definition of 'monogamy'.

Monogamy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The term is also being used to describe social pairing in animal mating systems.

Monogamy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The non-marital definition is a modern usage, which is the root of the complaint. Its use to describe animal mating patterns is obviously done in analogy to human marriages, so the fact that animals don't marry doesn't really say anything about the changing use of the term.

[Lakumi]

I don't really see why the word matters, especially since other languages probably don't have this problem. English is a mess of a language

[Vort]

I don't really see why the word matters, especially since other languages probably don't have this problem.

It matters because words are tokens of meaning, and clear communication depends on agreeing upon the meaning of the verbal tokens. One of the oldest forms of control over people is misusing words. In some cases, this is called "lying"; in other cases, the misuse is more subtle, so that it is not easily identified as an outright lie. But the effect can be similarly destructive, as when "monogamous" is used such that a generation of people assume that having sex with just one person is the moral equivalent of marriage.

English is a mess of a language

Which is what makes English the most versatile, most expressive, and downright coolest language evar.

[Lakumi]

It matters because words are tokens of meaning, and clear communication depends on agreeing upon the meaning of the verbal tokens. One of the oldest forms of control over people is misusing words. In some cases, this is called "lying"; in other cases, the misuse is more subtle, so that it is not easily identified as an outright lie. But the effect can be similarly destructive, as when "monogamous" is used such that a generation of people assume that having sex with just one person is the moral equivalent of marriage.

Which is what makes English the most versatile, most expressive, and downright coolest language evar.

well I'm not gonna argue the whole having sex with only one being like marriage, because that goes into religious arguments and those never end well...

I'm not a fan of English, wish I knew another one

[Vort]

well I'm not gonna argue the whole having sex with only one being like marriage, because that goes into religious arguments and those never end well...

No, it doesn't. That's the whole point. The definition of monogamy is not a religious question. It's a linguistic question.

I'm not a fan of English, wish I knew another one

Then you should learn another. It was learning my first foreign language that taught me just how amazing English is. In learning another language, you might perhaps come to appreciate your birthright in speaking English.

[Lakumi]

No, it doesn't. That's the whole point. The definition of monogamy is not a religious question. It's a linguistic question.

Then you should learn another. It was learning my first foreign language that taught me just how amazing English is. In learning another language, you might perhaps come to appreciate your birthright in speaking English.

why? I appreciate being able to speak, but as far as what language I am speaking... yeah appreciating that isn't at the top of my list