Musings on language

I work with a team that can be sent out to help if an emergency occurs.  I recently went into our team site at work to post when I am available.  I was surprised to learn I was a "resource".  Not even a "personnel resource", mind you.  It appears I am inanimate.  A wonderful message to receive.  And this got me thinking about language in America (in this case corporate America) and the impact it might have.

There are these gems:

“On-boarding” This phrase appears to mean bringing on new “resources”.  And I cannot help but think about things like food, water, torpedoes, depth charges… To me, it only works on a Naval vessel or a pirate ship.  It also, for some reason, makes me think of waterboarding.  

“Core resource”.  As near as I can tell I am simply a “core resource” because I am equipped in such a way that if the office burns to the ground I can keep on working.  The heck with any emotional issues I may have that the other “resources” with whom I spend a huge part of my life, are potentially hurt or in danger.  

These terms do not seem to be specific to my employer: informal chats indicate that everyone is using them.   It’s the new lingo.  

Lingo is another term I don’t care for.  I prefer the archaic term Language.  

Language is a powerful thing.  Words have plain meaning, but often they come with other images and associations.  They can evoke feelings, and sometimes not the feelings the person speaking actually means to evoke.  Awesome, to those who know their history, carries a sense of being overcome with awe, of a sense of how small they are in the face of something or someone mighty beyond understanding.  Not, “hey man, far out!” as it seems to mean to so many.  But I digress.  

The depersonalization of human beings has been said to contribute to the decline of manners and the rise of violence.  I wonder how much of this arises from the language we use to describe ourselves and others?  I used these examples from work because they illustrate a point, but think about it:  we use language that removes the individual's unique qualities and pigeonholes them all the time when we talk.