You have followed the discussion well.
The only place you and I differ is that if A intends to insult B, but B doesn't take it as such, and nobody else hears it (so we don't have to worry about what Jewel calls the public injury), I don't consider that a completed insult. It was an intended insult, but for me, unless someone is actually insulted, unless someone is actually hurt or offended, I don't think an insult has taken place.
In that respect, I agree with the definition "to give offense," because if in fact there was no offense, none was given. I differ from the definition in "a speech that was intended to insult."
Here's a question: If I am in the shower talking out loud, as I sometimes do, and I say something that if heard would be an insult to B, but nobody hears it, have I in fact insulted B? By the strict definition "a speech that was intended to insult" I have indeed insulted B even though neither B nor anybody else knows that I did so.
I don't consider that under that situation I have insulted B. Do you? |
