But, when people use the word "free," even within a particular context,
anyone would be able to understand what that person was talking about
within an acceptable level of error.
I don't think so -- that is too much to ask. In any area, the meaning
of freedom involves filling in details which are not obvious in
advance. It seems simple while you stay at the abstract level; it
becomes hard when you address the details.
But, if I'm wrong (which is possible), please tell me how I can
statically link a program that I write to a GPL'd lib and still retain
my freedom to BSD license my code.
Under the usual interpretation of the revised BSD license, this is
straightforward. You put the revised BSD license on your file, you
package it with the source of the GPL-covered library, and you release
it all. The combination, as a whole, is under the GNU GPL, but anyone can
use code from your file under the revised BSD license.
This is lawful because the revised BSD license permits users to
release the combination under the GPL.
