A few months ago we talked about the overuse of the word LOVE, whether it be books or dialogue. One of my blog friends asked: https://wakinguponthewrongsideof50.com/2022/08/15/love-love-love-etc/

Has the word love become slang?

I thought this was a pretty interesting idea- the repeated use of a word reduces its meaning making it so common as to be slang.

Does LOVE still have the same impact it did before?

What do you think? Do we use the word indiscriminately? Has it been reduced to the level of slang?

Discuss:

60 thoughts on “Love Slang”

  2. The hardest thing to say I love you to is yourself. But they say it works in terms of reducing the negativity we are constantly immersed in, from both external and internal sources.

    I’m having a hard time with it, but I’m practicing in front of the mirror, which is awkward and weird but makes me subconsciously look for something I love about myself each time. Today, for instance, I love my hair which makes it easier to love the whole person attached to the hair (me). 😉

    So yes and no. It’s overused but also not. For me, it has a positive effect to say it it to whatever, even when it appears weird to me or others.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  3. I guess you could say the true meaning has been lessened or cheapened … but sort of ironic that it’s needed now more than ever. I suspect I’m sounding a bit like the prologue to the movie Love Actually, but it is all around us and I’m thankful that it is! Great question.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  4. Love is so overused, and I’m just as guilty. I declare love for so many things and don’t think twice about it. In a way I guess this cheapens the real meaning of love. Makes me want to become more conscious about when and how I use that word.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. This from the Oxford Languages dictionary regarding slang: “a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.” In that case, no- love is not slang, but it is overused. Humans are lazy. It’s so much easier to reuse the same word than to stretch your language capabilities for something better.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. Yeah I think the word is very overused today. Sadly it has become just that, a word, rather than an emotion. Funny though how its counterpart, HATE, just gets thrown around. Both are emotions, both are real and both can lead to action. Hate vs dislike and love vs like. Could be a column for some other time.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    2. It is interesting that you feel “hate” as a word is overused. In my family we were taught to NEVER use the word hate about a person. That philosophy has overflowed so that I rarely use the word hate in any context. It is such an ugly emotion. I must admit to a pretty sheltered environment growing up. I remember being sent inside once when a neighbor pulling weeds said “damn.”

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I’ve heard so many people say they hate, but it’s things like opera, or cheese or the word moist. We have a friend, if you listen to him for ten minutes he will say at least ten things he hates

        Liked by 1 person

  10. When it comes to using the word “love” in a relationship, I am trying to use it more with family and friends. I guess as I get older I realize the opportunities to express love need to be seized when they arise. Carpe diem! On the other hand, I say I love chocolate, purple, and sunflowers, and I really do passionately mean it!🍫💜🌻

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. 😉I end every conversation with my daughter with I love you, or xo if it’s a text, and she does the same. I think that’s my 9/11 ptsd…

      Like

      Reply

      1. Of course. we are all adults here. I don’t love easily. How about you? If you say, I don’t love you will you lose housing? I don’t think so. Enjoy the weekend. Have faith in love and marriage.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Not slang, but perhaps not always used in the proper context. My emotional vocabulary and understanding are stunted, so I bought Brene Brown’s book, “Atlas of the Heart” and am working through it. It’s important to tell people I love them, and I love my dog. I still contend that I love wine and cheese!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. I think the real problem is the lack of language in common use to describe the emotions between like and love, and the differing type of love. In my view it is both over-used and under-used.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. I don’t think I use love as slang. Infact I find it extremely hard to say those three words even to friends/family. 🙈
    But I do tend to throw it around when talking about things I really like. But would that make it slang?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. According to Deb, no. But we do throw it around a lot. There’s a scene in Big Bang Theory where Penny won’t tell Leonard she lives him, but talks about how much she loves fries.

      Like

      Reply

  16. A great question. I think it’s the intention behind the word that matters. Some people use words flippantly, I know I have some I use way too often. I think any word can become devoid of meaning when overused.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. I don’t think it’s slang, and I also think we can love food and our spouses and a book. I mean, the same way the sky can be blue, as well as the ocean (which isn’t really blue), but also a flower, but not the same blue, if that makes sense. They’re all blue, just nuanced. I love all of the things and people, just differently.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  21. Love has no meaning as a word because it’s an action. Love is also a state of being. Love is everything and the most powerful force in the universe. Knowing Love is where the meaning is found.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s