Words change to fit the era and occasion
Language-Change Index
Oxford University Press reports that the third edition of Garner’s Modern American Usage has a most interesting new feature: the Language-Change Index categorizes the level of acceptance of changes in adoption of new usages for words or phrases.
Five stages of language change
Stage 1 – rejected except by a minority of the language experts
Stage 2 – rejected by those who insist on “standard usage” but spreading fast
Stage 3 – used widely, even among the well-educated, but still avoided by the language mavens
Stage 4 – ubiquitous, meaning virtually universal, but still argued against by grammar police
Stage 5 – fully accepted by rational people
Evolving English
For another perspective on changing usage, we can turn to Robert Levy’s blog Save the Semicolon:
The Six Stages of Word Grief http://savethesemicolon.com/2010/05/11/the-six-stages-of-word-grief/
You will have to read his post for the explanations.
The Six Stages of Word Grief
1. Confusion
2. Amusement
3. Annoyance
4. Exasperation
5. Acceptance when OTHER people do it
6. Complete Acceptance or death
And, in “Very Unique” is Here to Stay, http://savethesemicolon.com/2007/07/29/unique-and-monique/
Robert says:
I think that there are at least two phases after a word becomes well-known, but before it becomes really standard.
The first is when people who care about these things (and even people who don’t, but who consider themselves educated) would never use it that way, and in fact, they sort of judge people who do use it. They roll eyes, or cringe a bit, or get annoyed when they hear role-models (like politicians) use it. They consider the usage a pet-peeve, or laughable.
The second is when the people who care about these things would still not use the word, but they accept that even educated, intelligent, well-read people do use it the new way. They start to feel curmudgeonly, or pedantic, if they insist that others avoid the new usage. They recognize that they’re on the way out.
So, for my call to action: Pick the stage with which you are comfortable, write there, and stop your belly-aching.