this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2024
159 points (100.0% liked)

Asklemmy

43731 readers
939 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] Hugin@lemmy.world 20 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Common misuse of words. Decimate means reduce by 1/10 not almost completely destroy. Exponential growth. The variable has to be in the exponent if it's a constant exponent that is polynomial growth. Gaslighting isn't just lying. It's making someone belive that they can't trust their own memories or experiences so they believe you despite evidence to the contrary.

[โ€“] JoshuaFalken@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

When I read it, I agree with you - but when I say decimate, it sure sounds like it should mean near total destruction.

[โ€“] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Using "decimate" to mean "completely destroy" is not a misuse of the word. The word's meaning has simply changed.

[โ€“] pyre@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

exactly. plus it makes sense, there's no reason why decimate can't mean reduce to one tenth.

[โ€“] Hugin@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's right there in the word. deci 1/10 mate from matus to remove. It's like expecting half price to mean 1/3 price. We use deci all the time to mean 1/10 Decileter, decimal, etc.

[โ€“] pyre@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

maybe you misread my comment. I already said 1/10.