Mel CampbellQuestion: do you see a semantic difference between ‘merciless’ and ‘unmerciful’?
Thaiis Thei 𓁟@incrediblemelk The former somehow is more ruthless, while the latter is more indifferent.
Philip Boardman@incrediblemelk I don't know why, but I read `merciless` as lacking any mercy, and `unmerciful` as with a neutral amount of mercy.
Now at @@pbrdmn @incrediblemelk I'd see unmerciful as being a synonym for cruel or harsh, and merciless as being more a synonym for relentless (usually in the context of violence).
If the general was relentless in targeting enemy bases, it would be a merciless attack.
If the judge was cruel in giving out a sentence, that judgment would be unmerciful.
@ajsadauskas @pbrdmn that’s a nice distinction! Makes sense