The last post about “Who vs. Whom” stirred up a conversation about words that are falling out of favor or fading from our language. Like plants and animals, words can face extinction. Whom isn’t the only word in danger of being used improperly or becoming extinct. Over time, the original meaning of a word can get muddled or combined with a similar term to the point that it becomes archaic or obsolete. Let’s take a look at some of these endangered words and see what their more modern counterparts are.
The Evolution of Words
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Decimate – Destroy
Decimate harkens back to Roman times and originally meant “to select by lot and kill every tenth person.” This brutal practice was intended to punish mutinies or other severe crimes by scaring the remaining nine-tenths into obedience. The root, decem, is Latin for “ten.”
Nowadays, decimate doesn’t have close ties to its original meaning of a tenth. Instead, we use it to refer to the act of destroying or damaging something in great numbers.
Reticent – Reluctant
Reticent has a Latin origin that means “to keep silent.” However, in the mid-twentieth century, the definition of reticent began to change. First, we began to use reticent in its reluctant sense only in the context of speech. Over time, though, we abandoned the relationship to speech so that one could be reticent to do anything, and “reluctant” became its primary meaning.
Nauseous – Nauseated
Nauseous started out in the seventeenth century with the definition “causing nausea or disgust.” Nauseated meant that you felt sick. But in the middle of the nineteenth century, those distinctions began to blur. For a more in-depth discussion on these words, check out Merriam-Webster’s usage notes.
Disinterested – Uninterested
Originally, uninterested meant “impartial,” but that sense faded from use in the eighteenth century. Disinterested, on the other hand, meant “not interested,” but that, too, faded from use about the same time, and uninterested soon meant “not interested.” Today, disinterested has developed an additional definition of “no longer interested.”
Takeaway
So, why do we care about endangered words? In the writing community, there are great debates about whether we should stick to a word’s original definition or embrace the way language evolves over time. One argument against embracing these new, blurred definitions is that they can create ambiguity in our writing. Others say it’s important to preserve the history and context of our language. But the most important thing for us to remember as writers is that we are trying to connect with our audience. If your readers know and honor the distinction between nauseous and nauseated, make sure your writing reflects that. If the original meaning of decimate doesn’t resonate with your audience, then it may not be as important for you to worry about its etymology and use.
Remember: the most important task for us as writers is to present clear ideas for our readers. If you need help clarifying your writing, contact me! I’m happy to learn about your writing projects and help make your writing bulletproof.