Words Have Meaning

[puppetmaker]

I remember back when I was a kid, a boy had his beloved GI Joe figure. I told him that I thought he had a cool doll. He informed me that it was an action figure not a doll. It took me a number of years to figure out that action figure was the marketing term for “doll for boys”. I did, by that point, figure out it was OK for girls to play with action figures.

The world of marketing is a funny thing. They come up with ways of describing things in new terms when there are perfectly good old ones that have been used for centuries. They try to sell it to a new group. Like using Body Spray instead of cologne and cologne instead of perfume for men. Somewhere along the way perfume became something women put on their bodies. Body Spray is perfume for guys and most young men seems to think bathing it is attracts women (here a big hint, it doesn’t).

Adults buy toys for themselves now. Which is no longer looked on as odd or strange by the general population. But they are not buying toys, they are buying “collectable figures”. I’m sorry but a Hot Toys Avengers Loki Movie Masterpiece Series sixth-scale figure is a really expensive really cool looking doll. But it is a doll. Caroline plays with her “collectable” “exclusive” My Little Pony figures along with other toys that are coveted at conventions.

If I wanted to, I could call the dolls that I make anthropomorphic original action figures. But I don’t, I call them dolls for adults since they are a little delicate for children to play with.

Another example is in food. There was (is) a fish called a dolphin fish. It is a fish not a mammal but the name dolphin on it was a hard sell to the population at large so now it is called Mahi-mahi and is eaten with great vigor all over the US. There are other examples of this as well, food that has been rebranded to make it acceptable to eat.

Various fandoms name and rename themselves. Sometimes there is some debate as to what the “correct” term is for a group that loves a fictional series. The Trekker vs. Trekkie debate comes to mind. Whovian is a relatively new term to the fandom. With in some fandoms there are further breakdowns of the names, think Star Wars. Firefly is the Browncoats. Lord of the Rings fans have had several names that have gone around and come back again. I think they are on “Ringers” now.

And you have to be so careful about what you call another group or you are setting yourself up for the lecture of a lifetime about why is should be this and you should never say that. Political correctness can go to far to the point of bullying.

I try to keep up on terms that can be used and can’t be used. I try to call people and objects by the terms that the people are most comfortable with. There are times that I just want to throw up my hands and say “It’s just words” but it is not just words because words have meaning.

I am grateful for those who explain terms rather than lecture about them.

Comments

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

It is so true that words can be used to mask hidden agendas or to make things more palatable to us. I find it interesting that so often, words with a feminine association, like "doll" are the ones that society feels compelled to change in order to make them more acceptable.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

This, exactly. People like to think that their term/phrase is better or more PC, when really they are just fooling themselves!

And I too am grateful for non-lecturers. Those folks just make my eyes glaze over, LOL.