In my personal lexicon, "fine" is a word that has diverged radically from its supposed meaning. When something is fine, it is supposed to be acceptable or okay. I've found, in recent times, that it means anything but that supposed meaning. Fine, for me, has come to be a passive aggressive way of indicating that something is, essentially, not fine at all. I think this usage is widespread and well known. Anyone claiming to be fine is often not. Something indicated as fine may be anything but.
What interests me is that the word has (again, I speak for myself) shifted completely. I feel incapable of interpreting fine as a good or acceptable thing, and can apparently only see it as negative. Fine is now, automatically, not good. I find it interesting that the explicit, defined meaning and the implicit, implied meaning have so completely converged.
What interests me is that the word has (again, I speak for myself) shifted completely. I feel incapable of interpreting fine as a good or acceptable thing, and can apparently only see it as negative. Fine is now, automatically, not good. I find it interesting that the explicit, defined meaning and the implicit, implied meaning have so completely converged.
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