Language

Should words have just one meaning or more than one meaning?

I think that words should not have just one meaning. Part of the beauty of language is that words can be interpreted in different ways. For example in Latin, there are multiple ways to interpret a single line of poetry. While it may create some confusion for those who listen to/read it, the multiple meanings of words can make language apply to a large range of areas. A language with many meanings for a single word reflects the differing experiences that people have regarding that word. The counter-argument would be that it would be much more efficient to have one meaning for each word to avoid confusion. However I would argue that language would be very outdated as well as lifeless and stagnant if each word had a single meaning. Language is dynamic; meanings for words change as different connotations for them arise. I would also argue that the main purpose of language is to communicate and express feelings or emotions. Forcing a single meaning to each word would make it much harder for people to show their exact feelings or to communicate what they wanted to. Language creates a way to convey a personal style by using different words with different connotations. A good comparison would be how poetry can articulate some emotions and feelings that regular prose cannot. Reducing language to a single meaning for each word would eliminate a crucial aspect of language: individual expression.