RANTS AND WORDS

In a world where too many countries, including our own beloved America, are roiling with dissent and refusal to cooperate within themselves, personal foibles and frustrations really do not signify, in one sense.  But in another sense, words do matter.  It is important that we use our individual languages as accurately as possible, in order to communicate, because communication, along with organization, cooperation, and respect, are the four skills that we could use, if we only would, to help each other and ourselves.

So here is a small personal rant, shared by both of us. We have at least 3 major uses of the English language that we really do not appreciate. First is the use of the word 'hack' in articles about recipes or organizing the kitchen or whatever. 'Hacking' represents, to us, illegal and unauthorized access to personal information electronically and for it to be used casually is to us, to diminish its awfulness, when 'hacking' is despicable. :(

Secondly is the use of the word 'curate', a word overused in describing the grouping of everything imaginable, particularly in home magazines; someone 'curates' their salt and pepper shakers when what is really meant is that they like their salt and pepper shakers and like where they keep them. Museum curators curate, the rest of the world simply picks and chooses, according to us. :)

Finally, in articles about houses or celebrities or designers, the word 'bespoke' is used when they simply mean 'custom made'. But 'bespoke' must sound so very much more grand.

Well, phooey, we say. If any reader of this rant has not encountered this usage before, we apologize for bringing it to their attention.

Otherwise our personal solutions are to 1) stop reading those house magazines, 2) stop reading any article that uses these words, and 3) deleting any e-mails with the word 'hack' in the title, even if it is about cookies, etc. Enough for now!

Oh, and Happy New Year.