Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / April 2004

A loaded word is a word that carries meaning beyond what its
dictionary definition is. This extra meaning usually depends on
circumstances.

For instance, in western societies, a female may refer casually to "my
boyfriend" or "my girlfriend" and this usage carries no extra meaning
beyond what it seems to. A male too can refer to "my girlfriend" and
that is nothing remarkable. But if he were to refer to a male friend
as "my boyfriend", THAT would be a loaded word. It would imply that he
is a homosexual.

Another example of a loaded words are those words used as euphemisms.
For instance a woman making her living as a lawyer is engaged in a
profession. But don't refer to her as a "professional girl". That's a
loaded word, because it's a common euphemism for a prostitute.

Now as to why love would be a loaded word on a first date I don't
know. But lots of perfectly innocent words can be loaded words if used
in the wrong place at the wrong time. Americans are often called
'yankees', but in the deep south of the US, that word has a different
and more specific meaning!

Other words are loaded when spoken by the wrong person. A person of
African heritage can use the N word quite casually, but a white man
better be careful how he uses it these days!

Still other words have been deliberately made into loaded  words. The
conservative mouths the word 'liberal' for instance, as if it is a
swearword these days.

Hello!
I would say it implies that something is really important, that brings many
other things along with it.
For example "love" would imply an important change for somebody for example.
Or marriage would also bring a lot of responsibility for instance.
That´s what I understand from this expression.
Bye!