Aridity: The ‘existential crisis’ redefining life on EarthFive billion people could be affected by 2100Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Even as dramatic water-related disasters such as floods and storms intensified in some parts of the world, more than three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in recent decades, UN scientists warned today in a stark new analysis.
the maths doesn’t add up, though. three-quarters of the earth’s land is already covered by ocean.
if the same proportion of land has permanently dried up, that means that at least half the ocean floor globally is exposed to the sky!
There’s a difference between the earth’s land and the earth’s surface.
you’re saying the ocean floor is not land?
Yes. It is part of the surface, but it is not “land” by the common definition.
what is the definition of “common definition”, though? that’s a wishy-washy stand, is it not?
the first dictionary definition of the word states that land is the solid part of the surface of the earth, which is contrary to your distinction between “land” and “surface”. that’s a more solid and substantial position, is it not?
Is this a joke? I genuinely can’t imagine you being serious right now.
well, i’ve provided a bonafide source. whereas you’ve provided only your opinion.
i’m not sure from whence this righteous outrage arises.
i would be happy to understand any issue in my source or any contrary sources that support your opinion that the seabed is definitely not “land”.
No, I’m a different guy. It’s just really hard to believe you could be serious. That’s sad.
If it helps, I don’t think any worse of you because you got the definition of a word confused, even if it hasn’t changed since it was inherited from Germanic prior to the 12th century. We could probs still be friends barring any major personality conflicts. 🙃
Cambridge Dictionary:
Collins Dictionary:
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary:
Oxford English Dictionary:
And finally, the one you quoted:
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: