• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 20:57
CEST 02:57
KST 09:57
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy6Code S RO8 Preview: herO, Zoun, Bunny, Classic7
Community News
Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form?12FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event16Esports World Cup 2025 - Final Player Roster14Weekly Cups (June 16-22): Clem strikes back1Weekly Cups (June 9-15): herO doubles on GSL week4
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form? StarCraft Mass Recall: SC1 campaigns on SC2 thread The SCII GOAT: A statistical Evaluation How does the number of casters affect your enjoyment of esports? Esports World Cup 2025 - Final Player Roster
Tourneys
FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event HomeStory Cup 27 (June 27-29) WardiTV Mondays SOOPer7s Showmatches 2025 $200 Biweekly - StarCraft Evolution League #1
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers [G] Darkgrid Layout
Custom Maps
[UMS] Zillion Zerglings
External Content
Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome Mutation # 478 Instant Karma Mutation # 477 Slow and Steady
Brood War
General
ASL20 Preliminary Maps BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion StarCraft & BroodWar Campaign Speedrun Quest Unit and Spell Similarities
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL20] GosuLeague RO16 - Tue & Wed 20:00+CET The Casual Games of the Week Thread [BSL20] ProLeague LB Final - Saturday 20:00 CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile What do you want from future RTS games? Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Trading/Investing Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative Russo-Ukrainian War Thread
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread Korean Music Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread NBA General Discussion Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
Blog #2
tankgirl
Game Sound vs. Music: The Im…
TrAiDoS
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Heero Yuy & the Tax…
KrillinFromwales
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 551 users

Ridiculous

Blogs > micronesia
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-12-06 23:25:44
December 06 2008 23:23 GMT
#1

From dictionary.com:
ri⋅dic⋅u⋅lous  [ri-dik-yuh-luhs]
–adjective
causing or worthy of ridicule or derision; absurd; preposterous; laughable: a ridiculous plan


Time has shown on countless occasions that it is virtually impossible to prevent changes in language. The denotation (definition) of 'ridiculous' is wholly negative, whereas lately it often possesses a positive connotation (colloquial usage).

Of course this isn't noteworthy simply because the word is being misused according to academic precedents. I only point this one out in particular because I've been noticing a shift in its meaning myself.

Years ago (~10 to 20), did people so readily say "That's ridiculous" about something that they have admiration towards? (i.e. Person kicks soccer ball and it bounces 250 feet away. Observer says "That's ridiculous!" meaning it is atypical, but not in a bad way at all.) To some extent I think people did say it even then, but I'm noticing it more and more.

I started making a conscious effort to keep my eye on it a few weeks ago when I happened to notice people using the word. Since then, I've been amazed by how often people say ridiculous and don't mean it literally. The question I need help answering is whether things have actually been exactly like this for decades and I wasn't aware of it, or if the word's usage really has been shifting at a high rate of speed.

As an aside, I can give another example of a word with a changed meaning. The word 'impact' has been around for a long time, and yet, a few decades ago, was not used as a verb at all. Nowadays, that's very common to do. (i.e. The weather will impact the judges' decision)

Disclaimer: if you couldn't care less about this topic, then that's understandable. It's a little boring, but I found it interesting.

**
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
BanZu
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States3329 Posts
December 06 2008 23:26 GMT
#2
This thread is ridiculous.
Sun Tzu once said, "Defiler becomes useless at the presences of a vessel."
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
December 06 2008 23:27 GMT
#3
On December 07 2008 08:26 BanZu wrote:
This thread is ridiculous.

Years ago I would have taken that as an insult!
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
inReacH
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Sweden1612 Posts
December 06 2008 23:30 GMT
#4
On December 07 2008 08:27 micronesia wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 07 2008 08:26 BanZu wrote:
This thread is ridiculous.

Years ago I would have taken that as an insult!


Thread save.
I have no idea.
Cpt.Cocaine
Profile Joined June 2008
Canada299 Posts
December 06 2008 23:36 GMT
#5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moron_(psychology)

Thought you might find it interesting. It wasn't that long ago that words like moron were used in scientific context to describe low IQs without nessessarily being derogatory, but through popular use outside of scientific contexts, they've acquired derogative connotations. That's why they started using the term "retarded". Then that became an insult, so they had to come up with "mentally deficient", and now that's becoming derogatory too.

I say next we should use the word 'pineapple'.

"This person's test results fall within the pineapple category"

*flash foward 20 years into the future*

"What are you pineapple or something? Ridiculous!"
QuanticHawk
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States32048 Posts
December 06 2008 23:37 GMT
#6
ridiculous
And I'm, quick to bust, if my ends you touch
Kids or girl you touch, in this world I clutch
Two auto-matoes, used to call me fatso
Now you call me Castro, my rap flows
militant, y'all faggots ain't killin shit
Ooops Cristal keep spillin shit, you overdid it homes
You in the danger zone, you shouldn't be alone
Hold hands and say it like me
The most shady, Frankie baby, fantastic
Graphic, tryin to make dough, like Jurassic
Park did quick to spark kids who start shit
See me, only me
The Underboss of this holocaust
Truly yours, Frank White
PROFESSIONAL GAMER - SEND ME OFFERS TO JOIN YOUR TEAM - USA USA USA
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
December 06 2008 23:40 GMT
#7
On December 07 2008 08:36 Cpt.Cocaine wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moron_(psychology)

Thought you might find it interesting. It wasn't that long ago that words like moron were used in scientific context to describe low IQs without nessessarily being derogatory, but through popular use outside of scientific contexts, they've acquired derogative connotations. That's why they started using the term "retarded". Then that became an insult, so they had to come up with "mentally deficient", and now that's becoming derogatory too.

I say next we should use the word 'pineapple'.

"This person's test results fall within the pineapple category"

*flash foward 20 years into the future*

"What are you pineapple or something? Ridiculous!"

Ah interesting.

And Hawk wtf is wrong with you.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
paper
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
13196 Posts
December 06 2008 23:45 GMT
#8
usu when i use 'ridiculous' it has a negative meaning o_O
Hates Fun🤔
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
December 06 2008 23:51 GMT
#9
On December 07 2008 08:45 paper wrote:
usu when i use 'ridiculous' it has a negative meaning o_O

Yeah I think I am the same normally... however one time I caught myself seeing something extraordinary and saying 'that's ridiculous!' and then I thought for a second and went

ooa
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
b3tty
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
Canada216 Posts
December 07 2008 00:00 GMT
#10
if someone does something amazing in starcraft or some videogame i say 'that's just fucking ridiculous' on the context that whatever they did is absurd. as in i cannot believe what they just did.

am i misusing the word?!
>.<''
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
December 07 2008 00:01 GMT
#11
On December 07 2008 09:00 b3tty wrote:
if someone does something amazing in starcraft or some videogame i say 'that's just fucking ridiculous' on the context that whatever they did is absurd. as in i cannot believe what they just did.

am i misusing the word?!
>.<''

According to the definition, yes you are misusing the word. However, it's common to misuse it in that way so it's becoming ok to do that.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
Chef
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
10810 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-12-07 00:03:56
December 07 2008 00:02 GMT
#12
When someone says ridiculous in admiration, they mean like "that's unbelievable; that shouldn't even be possible." In a lot of ways that is laughable, absurd, and preposterous.

Obviously it doesn't really stay true to the base word 'ridicule,' but in a lot of ways ridicule is just an extension of criticism and scepticism, which makes the jump pretty easy.

I use the word both ways, and context always makes it understandable. I'm not particularly confident it has any similarities to the anti-norm usage of words like 'wicked' and 'sick' though. To me this particular case seems more of a common misunderstanding of the written meaning of the word.

Or maybe like... things once thought ridiculous, succeeding, seem to retain the quality of being ridiculous even though they worked... and things evolved from there.
LEGEND!! LEGEND!!
nemY
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States3119 Posts
December 07 2008 00:10 GMT
#13
redunkulous
d_so
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
Korea (South)3262 Posts
December 07 2008 00:18 GMT
#14
kinda likd the word "nasty".

blame stu scott
manner
Elvin_vn
Profile Blog Joined March 2004
Vietnam2038 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-12-07 00:29:46
December 07 2008 00:28 GMT
#15
Nowadays my language is spoiled by pro-gamers name.

Whenever I read something that contains "flash", "best", "savior", "boxer", "yellow", "july", "tasteless"... i think of the progamers. It'll never be the same for me again
do not agrue with idiots, they will pull you down to their level and beat you with their experiences
thoraxe
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States1449 Posts
December 07 2008 00:37 GMT
#16
On December 07 2008 08:27 micronesia wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 07 2008 08:26 BanZu wrote:
This thread is ridiculous.

Years ago I would have taken that as an insult!

sarcasm?
Obama singing "Kick Ass" Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yghFBt-fXmw&feature=player_embedde
Fontong
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States6454 Posts
December 07 2008 00:38 GMT
#17
Lol yeah I definitely 'misuse' ridiculous all the time. Interesting topic, what state are you in anyway? I'm guess that California probably has the highest rate of word misusage, but then again I haven't really been to other states that much.

[SECRET FONT] "Dragoon bunker"
fusionsdf
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
Canada15390 Posts
December 07 2008 00:58 GMT
#18
this is a pretty cool thread (by cool I don't mean cold)
SKT_Best: "I actually chose Protoss because it was so hard for me to defeat Protoss as a Terran. When I first started Brood War, my main race was Terran."
fusionsdf
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
Canada15390 Posts
December 07 2008 01:00 GMT
#19
On December 07 2008 08:37 Hawk wrote:
ridiculous
And I'm, quick to bust, if my ends you touch
Kids or girl you touch, in this world I clutch
Two auto-matoes, used to call me fatso
Now you call me Castro, my rap flows
militant, y'all faggots ain't killin shit
Ooops Cristal keep spillin shit, you overdid it homes
You in the danger zone, you shouldn't be alone
Hold hands and say it like me
The most shady, Frankie baby, fantastic
Graphic, tryin to make dough, like Jurassic
Park did quick to spark kids who start shit
See me, only me
The Underboss of this holocaust
Truly yours, Frank White


always relevant

he always had such a nice flow
SKT_Best: "I actually chose Protoss because it was so hard for me to defeat Protoss as a Terran. When I first started Brood War, my main race was Terran."
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24665 Posts
December 07 2008 01:22 GMT
#20
On December 07 2008 09:37 thoraxe wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 07 2008 08:27 micronesia wrote:
On December 07 2008 08:26 BanZu wrote:
This thread is ridiculous.

Years ago I would have taken that as an insult!

sarcasm?

Er... no. I'm just establishing that my views of acceptable colloquial usages of the word 'ridiculous' include using it as a positive adjective... whereas in the past I would have interpreted it to mean that the thread is worthy of ridicule.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
PiGosaur Monday
00:00
#38
PiGStarcraft577
rockletztv 21
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
PiGStarcraft577
CosmosSc2 71
RuFF_SC2 68
Livibee 61
StarCraft: Brood War
Artosis 730
MaD[AoV]27
Sharp 20
Icarus 3
Dota 2
febbydoto25
monkeys_forever23
League of Legends
JimRising 594
Counter-Strike
summit1g9290
taco 270
PGG 86
Super Smash Bros
hungrybox446
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor117
Other Games
tarik_tv6953
Day[9].tv946
shahzam818
Maynarde179
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick893
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hupsaiya 120
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Migwel
• intothetv
• LaughNgamezSOOP
StarCraft: Brood War
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
League of Legends
• Doublelift5172
• Jankos1784
• masondota2779
Other Games
• Scarra1725
• Day9tv946
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
23h 4m
The PondCast
1d 9h
RSL Revival
1d 9h
ByuN vs Classic
Clem vs Cham
WardiTV European League
1d 15h
Replay Cast
1d 23h
RSL Revival
2 days
herO vs SHIN
Reynor vs Cure
WardiTV European League
2 days
FEL
2 days
Korean StarCraft League
3 days
CranKy Ducklings
3 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
3 days
FEL
3 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
FEL
4 days
BSL: ProLeague
4 days
Dewalt vs Bonyth
Replay Cast
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-06-28
HSC XXVII
Heroes 10 EU

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL 2v2 Season 3
BSL Season 20
Acropolis #3
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Championship of Russia 2025
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters
CCT Season 2 Global Finals
IEM Melbourne 2025
YaLLa Compass Qatar 2025

Upcoming

CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
K-Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
SEL Season 2 Championship
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.