In Reply to: Bargening is the word! posted by Daniel on Tuesday, 16. November 2004 at 21:55 Bali Time:
I too looked up a number of on-line Dictionaries, and in the Cambridge Dictionary they quoted the definition exactly as you have, but then followed by the example, and I quote, 'We spent a whole hour bartering with stallholders for souvenirs.'
One has to assume from this that money was used as payment, as such it does seem to contradict the original definition!
Please don't take offence here (no one likes a smartass), however in your headline 'bargening' is spelt incorrectly, according to most 'English' Dictionaries it is spelt 'bargaining', I suspect you may have consulted an 'American' Dictionary, and yes we do speak 'English' in Australia.
You might also like to note that 'barter' is thought to have originated from the French word 'barater' which literally means to 'deceive', I think this is most appropriate in these circumstances! {;o)
Anyway as I have found to my shame over many years, don't start correcting the spelling and grammar of others, you'll only be found wanting, live and let live!