A look
back . . .
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. . . to a post from July 2010.
Lacking a) sleep and b) inspiration, I looked at past blog posts and discovered one titled, ‘Challenged!’ I reproduce it here with a few adjustments.
It is politically incorrect to refer to a lack of something in someone. For instance, people who have problems with their sight are ‘visually challenged,’ those whose bodies are built or have become less reliable are ‘differently abled’, children who find learning difficult are ‘educationally challenged’.
It is right and proper that people’s sensitivities are considered, for none of us can help not having whatever facility it is that we’re missing. I don’t know about the rest of the working world, but no-one in UK schools is allowed to use the term ‘brainstorm’; it might offend people who suffer from tonic-clonic seizures – that’s epilepsy to you and me or even *sharp intake of breath* FITS.
There is a risk that in an effort to avoid giving offence, we are led into a world of bizarre euphemisms. Thus, a person of short stature is ‘vertically challenged’ and a person of ample proportions is ‘metabolically challenged’ or ‘calorie-resistance intolerant.’ A very energetic person might be described not as frenetic or driven, but ‘relaxation-averse’ while the counterpart would not be lazy but ‘effortfully disinclined.’
What of chronically untidy and disorganised folk? Would ‘organisationally reluctant’ cover their condition and could the slovenly slut be more kindly described as ‘obversely houseproud?’
I am adjectivally challenged. I have exhausted my supply of commentarial enthusiasm and have decided that the English language requires more adjectives of approbation. I have used ‘lovely’, ‘amazing’, ‘stunning’, ‘superb’ and their like far too frequently and ‘I love this’ lacks the freshness and enthusiasm I often feel when reading other blogs.
I could adopt the same catch-all, anodyne phrases for every blog I visit – it would be quick and efficient but add nothing to the blogger’s sense of accomplishment. People who take the time to comment on my blogs encourage and uplift me, so I try to do the same on the blogs I visit. That is particularly important when a new blogger appears on the scene, unsure quite what to expect.
Therefore, I am going to invent some new adjectives and would appreciate the efforts of any of you ‘out there’ *waves vaguely at the computer screen* to add to and improve my poor renderings.
Here are a few suggestions:- gregorgeous, supraspecial, stunningese, beautifellant, wonderbrasimax, splendera, loveheartlifly . . . or maybe I’ll just reinstate ‘nice’ and ‘good’ in my personal vocabulary. What say you? Anyone?
I've never thought using 'nice' wasn't ok, I know people who are nice, I like nice cake, I read nice blogs, so for me who is at this moment is having a not nice sleep, nice is ok!
ReplyDeleteIf you're happy with it, that's the main thing.
DeleteI think what we are & aren't allowed to say now has gotten quite out of hand. It seems so easy to offend people with the things we say - without even meaning to or trying to be offensive. I like nice & good - they are great words!!! I used the word "discombobulated" in a blog title once & got lots of comments on it - good & not so good. You just be You Janice - I like you just the way you are!!
ReplyDeleteAh, that's so nice (!) and friendly, Julie. Thank you:-)
DeleteI have the same problem with negative adjectives and get tired of using dirty words like daggy and shitty.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I was telling my coffee mates who were my most influential primary school teachers in the late 1950s. I easily remembered 2 of the three who were role models for my adult life, but the third name would not come. In frustration, I yelled BUGGER HELL. Hmmm
A good swear is necessary sometimes ;-)
DeleteI know I use 'Good', 'Excellent' and 'Brilliant' far too often and as for exclamation marks! well!!!
ReplyDeleteExclamation marks are addictive!!
DeleteEnglish was chosen as world language because it is short and clear. If I type a text in German or French and then the English translation, English takes half a page, German one page and a half and French maybe one page ! And now you come with complicated words like ‘effortfully disinclined.’ I don't want to be effortfully disinclined but lazy ! Takes less space. Brainstorm moved into the German language because it describes the stress of a manager meeting in companies in one short word !
ReplyDeleteI know that German is renowned for having long but very descriptive words. French is 'flowery' and English is a mongrel language, taking from every other tongue.
DeleteI prefer all the originals. nice, short, sweet, lazy, energetic, frenetic, tall and so on. I freely admit to being short, fat and lazy.
ReplyDeleteAnglo-Saxon words are short and (not always) sweet.
DeleteYou have certainly found some very friendly descriptive words of encouragement. I'm a bit lacking in larger vocabulary sometimes. Thanks for you comments back here and on my blog. It does mean a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have an interchange between bloggers, or else it can feel like calling out in the darkness. Well, maybe not quite that drastic, but you know what I mean :-)
DeleteI am very happy you reposted this. It made me think of all the words I could describe it other than 'wonderful', which I think it is. I instead will say it is marvelous! (My brain cells aren't working too well today.) I dislike labels, they can be far too judgmental. I could label myself with several of these, but I would be admitting I am far too judgmental of myself. Anyhow, you have sown a few seeds with me. I am going to be studying adjectives today. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWith such a rich and colourful language, adjectives should be abundant, and I suppose they are, but we fall back on the familiar and easily-understood. That's natural, of course.
DeleteWhat a great (😉😄) post and raised a smile with me today.
ReplyDeleteGuilty as charged m'lud - I often use lots of sugary words when commenting on blogs , and I probably overdo exclamation marks and hyphens and ......other stuff........ however my excuse is this, I really like you lovely bloggers to know how much I appreciate your blogging efforts and bloggy friendship. Nuff said.
Alison in Wales x
We're all guilty, Alison, but the connection is the most important part of blogging. It's not an exam ;-)
DeleteIt's a challenge not to be repetitive and over-use words when trying to be encouraging or appreciative. I do enjoy the individual responses you make to commenters; they feel personal and thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteOften, if we're tired or pushed for time, we choose the words that come most readily to mind. There's nothing wrong with that and we all can understand each other readily.
DeleteQuite an interesting post. I am a retired teacher of special education. We were always told not to use an adjective to describe a student. First they are a student who has poor vision or a student with poor hearing as opposed to a hearing impaired student or visually impaired student. They seemed to feel that when an adjective was used, it defined the student as opposed to defining the student and them adding the one disability . Who knows?
ReplyDeleteThat is most interesting. I can see the logic behind the thinking. The student is defined by the impairment. Somehow, I feel 'poor' might stick in the mind.
ReplyDeleteAs a non-native speaker, I always try to challenge myself to use interesting adjectives, so what about "chucklesome" to describe your post. I even read parts of it out loud to my organisationally reluctant better half, who didn't seem to get the joke! xxx
ReplyDeleteLol!
DeleteIf anything, this kind of thing has gotten worse since 2010. I have an autistic brother in law and at one time describing people like him as "retarded" was common. It was so common that an agency set up to serve people with disabilities (originally, children) in our country was called the Association for Retarded Children. We also had the Handicapped Children Association locally. Both of these have changed their names to be a lot more positive sounding and I applaud it. Whether this has gone too far, I do think it has, in some ways, but I can applaud the ridding of retarded and handicapped and other type words meant to wound and insult. Words really do matter.
ReplyDeleteYes, words do matter and can wound.
DeleteExcellent idea with the new adjectives.
ReplyDeleteBut I had no idea that 'brainstorm' was now unacceptable.
You learn something every day...
Cheers! Gail.
Some changes seem quite ridiculous, but it's better to avoid giving offence . . . by not speaking at all! ;-)
DeleteAww I do like the cat in the picture you've used.
ReplyDeleteI do think the English language causes complications at the best of times (eg threw, through) let alone the words that are now frowned upon to use or indeed are unacceptable.
I thought the new adjectives you've listed at the end of your post were excellent.
All the best Jan
It's a lovely cat with such splendid whiskers!
Delete‘calorie-resistance intolerant.’ I laughed heartily at this one. I agree with your point. Some in the US used on their blog the word handicapped to describe her daughter. We wouldn't dare use that word anymore here, and probably not in your country either. Of course this could all be extended to business and governments, with the classic 'collateral damage', as civilians are bombed.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't so long ago here that the name of an organisation changed its name from The Spastic Society. That one I really do think needed changing.
DeleteSometimes we try so hard not to offend that all meaning and empathy is lost.
Delete