(no subject)
em·power·ment n.
"Usage Note: Although it is a contemporary buzzword, the word empower is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning “to invest with authority, authorize.” Shortly thereafter it began to be used with an infinitive in a more general way meaning “to enable or permit.” Both of these uses survive today but have been overpowered by the word's use in politics and pop psychology. Its modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. The word was then taken up by the women's movement, and its appeal has not flagged. Since people of all political persuasions have a need for a word that makes their constituents feel that they are or are about to become more in control of their destinies, empower has been adopted by conservatives as well as social reformers. It has even migrated out of the political arena into other fields. ·The Usage Panel has some misgivings about this recent broadening of usage. For the Panelists, the acceptability of the verb empower depends on the context. Eighty percent approve of the example We want to empower ordinary citizens. But in contexts that are not political the Panel is markedly less enthusiastic. The sentence Hunger and greed and then sexual zeal are felt by some to be stages of experience that empower the individual garners approval from only 33 percent of the Panelists. The Panel may frown on this kind of psychological empowering because it resonates of the self-help movement, which is notorious for trendy coinages."
- dictionary.com
wow. all i wanted was a definition for the day and what i got was this long-winded usage note. how interesting it all is.
well, the week in summary: nothing extraordinary, but nothing upsetting, either. friday was unsually convivial, probably because of our anticipation of the maroon5 concert, which was, of course, smashing. susan, johanna, marc, and i found ourselves singing/shouting along with almost each and every word, and having a grand time of it. isn't there something electric about being a fan? (no pun intended.) swan lake continues to improve for me, as i have all but completely banished my fear/panic that once set in towards the end of the pas de trois. one small step for me in the giant world of ballet, but at least it's forward progress of some kind. the biggest damper to my disposition is johanna's impending departure. strange and unwarranted as it may seem, the thought of her being gone gives me rollercoaster-stomach. you know the feeling. i'm glad that everyone has been vocal about how much they are going to miss her, though. she deserves to know how much we love her.
sean and i went apartment shopping today. our biggest and best contender is the brixen, since we are already familiar with the apartments and know what we will be getting ourselves into. they are affordable for us, too, and in a good location. we also found a very charismatic one-bedroom-with-dining-room that is easily converted into a two-bedroom, with the major perk of free internet access. it's still very early for us ("when are you looking to move in? the end of august? my, aren't you early about it?") but at least we are slowly getting an idea about what's out there.
i made zucchini bread today. when i'm in the kitchen, i always feel like my dad. today, i also felt like my grandma, since it was her recipe that i was using. and the house smelled just like christmas from the scent of the baking bread. i wonder when it is exactly that i can expect to feel like i am at home even when i'm away from home.
"Usage Note: Although it is a contemporary buzzword, the word empower is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning “to invest with authority, authorize.” Shortly thereafter it began to be used with an infinitive in a more general way meaning “to enable or permit.” Both of these uses survive today but have been overpowered by the word's use in politics and pop psychology. Its modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. The word was then taken up by the women's movement, and its appeal has not flagged. Since people of all political persuasions have a need for a word that makes their constituents feel that they are or are about to become more in control of their destinies, empower has been adopted by conservatives as well as social reformers. It has even migrated out of the political arena into other fields. ·The Usage Panel has some misgivings about this recent broadening of usage. For the Panelists, the acceptability of the verb empower depends on the context. Eighty percent approve of the example We want to empower ordinary citizens. But in contexts that are not political the Panel is markedly less enthusiastic. The sentence Hunger and greed and then sexual zeal are felt by some to be stages of experience that empower the individual garners approval from only 33 percent of the Panelists. The Panel may frown on this kind of psychological empowering because it resonates of the self-help movement, which is notorious for trendy coinages."
- dictionary.com
wow. all i wanted was a definition for the day and what i got was this long-winded usage note. how interesting it all is.
well, the week in summary: nothing extraordinary, but nothing upsetting, either. friday was unsually convivial, probably because of our anticipation of the maroon5 concert, which was, of course, smashing. susan, johanna, marc, and i found ourselves singing/shouting along with almost each and every word, and having a grand time of it. isn't there something electric about being a fan? (no pun intended.) swan lake continues to improve for me, as i have all but completely banished my fear/panic that once set in towards the end of the pas de trois. one small step for me in the giant world of ballet, but at least it's forward progress of some kind. the biggest damper to my disposition is johanna's impending departure. strange and unwarranted as it may seem, the thought of her being gone gives me rollercoaster-stomach. you know the feeling. i'm glad that everyone has been vocal about how much they are going to miss her, though. she deserves to know how much we love her.
sean and i went apartment shopping today. our biggest and best contender is the brixen, since we are already familiar with the apartments and know what we will be getting ourselves into. they are affordable for us, too, and in a good location. we also found a very charismatic one-bedroom-with-dining-room that is easily converted into a two-bedroom, with the major perk of free internet access. it's still very early for us ("when are you looking to move in? the end of august? my, aren't you early about it?") but at least we are slowly getting an idea about what's out there.
i made zucchini bread today. when i'm in the kitchen, i always feel like my dad. today, i also felt like my grandma, since it was her recipe that i was using. and the house smelled just like christmas from the scent of the baking bread. i wonder when it is exactly that i can expect to feel like i am at home even when i'm away from home.