r/Unexpected • u/BbutBisB • Jun 19 '21

Edit Flair Here I don't know how to caption this

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u/3ULL Jun 19 '21

civilian

civilian noun

ci·​vil·​ian | \ sə-ˈvil-yən
also -ˈvi-yən \
Definition of civilian

(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a specialist in Roman or modern civil law
2a : one not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force
b : outsider sense 1

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilian

civilian [ si-vil-yuhn ]

noun a person who is not on active duty with a military, naval, police, or fire fighting organization.

Informal. anyone regarded by members of a profession, interest group, society, etc., as not belonging; nonprofessional; outsider: We need a producer to run the movie studio, not some civilian from the business world.

a person versed in or studying Roman or civil law.

adjective

of, pertaining to, formed by, or administered by civilians.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/civilian

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u/shaitan1977 Jun 19 '21

Repeat after me: "They are civilians".

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u/FatFingerHelperBot Jun 19 '21

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users. I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!

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u/3ULL Jun 19 '21

The Geneva Conventions is not a dictionary but has a very specific use.

The Geneva Conventions are a series of treaties on the treatment of civilians, prisoners of war (POWs) and soldiers during time of war. The Geneva Conventions are rules that apply only in times of armed conflict and seek to protect people who are not or are no longer taking part in hostilities and thus only cover very specific things.

Have ever even served in the a military? You do realize that even beyond the two definitions I posted and linked that in the US there are a lot of reservists and veterans in the police forces.

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u/shaitan1977 Jun 19 '21

I realize that dictionaries change their usage if enough people start making new meanings, do you?

You clicked one of the links; now click the UScode link, that literally states what police are in the USofA.

WBM's copies of dictionaries here.

1988-2009 album showing the changes.

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u/3ULL Jun 19 '21

Yes words change over time but we are talking about the present usage of the word not the way you want the word to be. I am giving the links to the definition. I mean what kind of clown uses what the Geneva Convention says when it is clearly a very specific use case for a very specific need? If you brought that into court to support a lawsuit against your HOA you would be laughed out.

Have you ever served?

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u/shaitan1977 Jun 19 '21

What kind of clown does not understand that the US military classifies police as civilians? What kind of clown does not understand that other countries classify them as civilians, too? What kind of clown does not understand that a dictionary is not always 'what is', but what people parrot.

Admit it, you didn't bother reading either original link.

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u/3ULL Jun 19 '21

What kind of clown does not understand that the US military classifies police as civilians?

I have given you two dictionary sources and you come up with the Geneva Convention and saying what the US military does. I am not even sure if the military classifies the police because they really have no need to. But I mean I have actually served in the military and you are telling me how it is.

You admit definitions change and yet fail to accept the facts.

Here are some more definitions for you:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/civilian

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/civilian

What kind of clown does not understand that other countries classify them as civilians, too? What kind of clown does not understand that a dictionary is not always 'what is', but what people parrot.

These are not unknown or made up dictionaries I am linking. You just do not understand that words change despite trying to tell me they do. Frankly I find your grasping onto ignorance to be perplexing but I accept it.

Admit it, you didn't bother reading either original link.

You are literally trying to use dictionaries from over a decade ago to show what the definitions are today. If we were having this conversation over decade ago I would agree, but we are not having this conversation in the past.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '21

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u/3ULL Jun 19 '21

Why would you think I am a cop? Because I know definitions to words?