#258: What words would you like to see added to/removed from common use?
When I was growing up, the other kids had a name for me. I didn't choose it, and I was never given the chance to find one that suited me better. So I took it. I pried it out of their mouths and claimed if for my own. Today I wear it like a badge. Because, at the end of the day, the words we use are just tokens, it's the meaning we give them with that matters. Or, sometimes, the manner in which they're spoken.
But, there are a few words I could do without, even though I realize that removing them from our collective vocabulary wouldn't really change anything. I wish it were that easy, but it's not. However, if I were given free reins and could actually make it happen, I'd get rid of all the ones that people use to negatively label people who belong to whatever group they're not in. You know which ones I'm talking about.
Secondly, I'd make about half the words in common legal jargon disappear. Sure, there are really good uses for quite a few of them, but I've never been a big fan of legalese. A lot of it seems to be specifically aimed at making non-lawyers feel like idiots, and puts the average person at a disadvantage when dealing with the legal system. Some lawyers I know of even seem to get some kind of power trip out of making their clients feel stupid. Of course, this practice isn't restricted to lawyers, but I'm not in a position to ask my dentist to stop numbering my teeth.
Then there's the language of political correctness. I never noticed this until after my eyes got fried, but there is apparently an unlimited number of ways of addressing a touchy subject without being direct. This is most likely done out of respect, but gets really silly really fast. Anyone who's ever been called "differently abled" will know what I'm talking about. And that's not a joke, it actually happens. Especially in the school system, which is really quite disturbing when you think about it.
Maybe what I'd like most is for people to actually think before they speak. Heck, I should give that a try myself. It's not as if I'm even close to perfect when it comes to letting the occasional four-letter word cross my lips. But I try to save them for the times they when seem to be just what the situation calls for. If you're on the heels of a drug dealer and then have to watch him slip through your fingers, a "shit" is definitely in order. And when your life is screwed up for the umpteenth time and you're so frustrated you could scream? Well, that might just call for something stronger.
But, there are a few words I could do without, even though I realize that removing them from our collective vocabulary wouldn't really change anything. I wish it were that easy, but it's not. However, if I were given free reins and could actually make it happen, I'd get rid of all the ones that people use to negatively label people who belong to whatever group they're not in. You know which ones I'm talking about.
Secondly, I'd make about half the words in common legal jargon disappear. Sure, there are really good uses for quite a few of them, but I've never been a big fan of legalese. A lot of it seems to be specifically aimed at making non-lawyers feel like idiots, and puts the average person at a disadvantage when dealing with the legal system. Some lawyers I know of even seem to get some kind of power trip out of making their clients feel stupid. Of course, this practice isn't restricted to lawyers, but I'm not in a position to ask my dentist to stop numbering my teeth.
Then there's the language of political correctness. I never noticed this until after my eyes got fried, but there is apparently an unlimited number of ways of addressing a touchy subject without being direct. This is most likely done out of respect, but gets really silly really fast. Anyone who's ever been called "differently abled" will know what I'm talking about. And that's not a joke, it actually happens. Especially in the school system, which is really quite disturbing when you think about it.
Maybe what I'd like most is for people to actually think before they speak. Heck, I should give that a try myself. It's not as if I'm even close to perfect when it comes to letting the occasional four-letter word cross my lips. But I try to save them for the times they when seem to be just what the situation calls for. If you're on the heels of a drug dealer and then have to watch him slip through your fingers, a "shit" is definitely in order. And when your life is screwed up for the umpteenth time and you're so frustrated you could scream? Well, that might just call for something stronger.