If "nothing" means nothing, why we have a word to mean something that doesn't exist?

Question

As you can see, I'm not crazy.

Answer 1

Then what else would we call it?

Answer 2

That sort of talk leads to double-think and Ingsoc!!

(1984 - George Orwell)


The basic idea behind Newspeak was to remove all shades of meaning from language, leaving simple dichotomies (pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness, good thoughts and thoughtcrimes) which reinforce the total dominance of the State. Similarly, Newspeak root words served as both nouns and verbs, which allowed further reduction in the total number of words; for example, "think" served as both noun and verb, so the word "thought" was unneeded and could be abolished. A staccato rhythm of short syllables was also a goal, further reducing the need for deep thinking about language. (See duckspeak.) Successful Newspeak meant that there would be fewer and fewer words -- dictionaries would get thinner and thinner.
In addition, words with opposite meanings were removed as redundant, so "bad" became "ungood." Words with comparative and superlative meanings were also simplified, so "better" became "gooder", and "best" likewise became "goodest". Intensifiers could be added, so "great" became "plusgood", and "excellent" or "splendid" likewise became "doubleplusgood." Adjectives were formed by adding the suffix "-ful" to a root word (e.g. "goodthinkful", orthodox in thought), and adverbs by adding "-wise" ("goodthinkwise", in an orthodox manner). In this manner, as many words as possible were removed from the language. The ultimate aim of Newspeak was to reduce even the dichotomies to a single word that was a "yes" of some sort: an obedient word with which everyone answered affirmatively to what was asked of them.

Answer 3

Because the word meaning "something" is the same word meaning "nothing". So you get something for nothing and that's nothing at all.

Answer 4

A bit like the "number" Zero It represents a non value. But is extremely important in Math. "nothing" is a word to note the absents of "something"

Answer 5

To allow us mortal mear humans to converse with each other.
And to allow silly sphomoric morons to ask silly sphomoric moronic questions

Answer 6

for the sake of simplicity - so we can use one word instead of 4

Answer 7

Yea, but how would we explain to you that you have nothing in the 'smarts department?'

Answer 8

If you were crazy, then you wouldn't know if you really were would you, because you are crazy?

Answer 9

For the same reason we have zero.

Answer 10

If we don't have a word for it, then how can we express it?'

Answer 11

'cos if we had a non-word for it , people would be confused when you (didn't) say it.