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{don't be a schmuck: quit fucking-up our lexicon} jack wilder I am a believer in the notion that our lexicon is virtuous on account of the fact that it is, indeed, fluid. A dictionary is not filled with definitions that were written by God, nor were they written in the stars, a priori. Our lexicon, our dictionary is contingent upon popular usage. A word's definition, in time, morphs and changes. And this, my friends, is the way it is simply is. As well, the fact that our lexicon is fluid and predicated on popular usage also means that meanings change. But because of this fact, that meanings change – words like “irony” have come to be synonymous with “coincidence”. Why these words should not be synonymous – and aren’t for the most part – is because there are such things as DEMARCATIONS. The power in demarcations is seen in the fact that we use language to communicate - as clearly as we can. As such, certain demarcations, or divisions, are not only helpful - but nearly mandatory. We all use language. So, use it responsibly. Otherwise we're going to end-up with neo-hipster families and LoDo meatheads and princesses galore that are watering down - not only our religions and ideologies and complex belief systems, but our language systems as well. If you think you're hyper intelligent, then act like it. Er, think like it. In a world where everybody is asking, "are they even thinking?" do something irreverent: think a complete thought. And no! This is not the new black, or PBR, or something retro. Christ. Here is a short list of demarcations needing attention: NOTORIOUS IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH FAMOUS. In fact, "notorious" is in some regards the complete opposite of "famous". Notorious means, "ill famed", or "having an exceedingly bad reputation". Famous means, well, you're famous: Smile for the camera. ACRONYM IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH INITIALISM. An initialism is an abbreviation made up of the initial letters of the components of the full form of a designation or from syllables of the full form (i.e., F.B.I.). An initialism utilizes periods in-between the abbreviations. An acronym is a word formed by the initial letters of a phrase or title (i.e., FEMA). An acronym does not employ periods between the letters. IRONY IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH COINCIDENCE. Irony is an intentional contradiction between what something appears to mean and what it really means. A coincidence is, oops, a fucking coincidence. MODERN IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH CONTEMPORARY. Contemporary refers to something belonging to the present time. Like this year. Or last. Or even twenty. Sometimes even fifty years ago. Modern refers to an age that lasted from the Middle Ages until the contemporary period. Depending on which discipline you are talking about – modern means something different. Modern philosophy is seen to have begun with the thinkers during the Enlightenment in the early seventeenth century. Modern art typically sees its provenance as occurring in the late 19th century and working into the 1970’s. We are now in a “post modern” age – an age that is without a name. In the historical tradition of naming periods – periods obtain their names AFTER THE PERIOD/AGE HAS TRANSPIRED. CLICHÉ IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH HACKNEYED. Hackneyed refers to something banal; something repeated too often. A word or phrase becomes “hackneyed” when people find it familiar through overuse. A cliché word or phrase is seen as such because it has been used to often that it has been drained of its original power. |
