The Magic-Walmart myth

[gizmo33]

They are the bon mot for what is meant.

I have no idea what this means. I'm sure there are perfectly good English words to describe the concept, there's no reason to resort to Elvish. I will postpone taking offense until the matter is cleared up.

 

[Raven Crowking]

If I let someone know that I felt a term was a loaded statement and that it carried an elitest attitude to me and then the other person kept using it, I would feel that person had no regard for me and felt that my opinion was worthless.

If you felt a term was a loaded statement, could you tell the other person why you felt it was a loaded statement?

Moreover, demanding that the other person refrain from using the terminology that they are comfortable with can easily be taken as an elitist attitude in and of itself. It's one thing if I feel that "flixlebix" best describes the 3.5 monk, it is another if you demand that I cease to use the term. The demand to cease using the term clearly requires that I grant you superior status in the conversation -- I must abide by your choice of terminology, regardless of what I think, or I have no regard for you and feel that your opinion is worthless.

Again, I think it is that attitude which is the greater problem, as well as being more elitist, and should be corrected rather than condoned.

YMMV, though.

 

[Raven Crowking]

I have no idea what this means. I'm sure there are perfectly good English words to describe the concept, there's no reason to resort to Elvish. I will postpone taking offense until the matter is cleared up.

"Bon mot" is an English term (stolen from the French, literally meaning "good word"). Apparently, according to dictionary.com, it means "witticism". I intended to mean "the perfect word, a term or phrase that encapsulates an idea and expresses it both concisely and correctly".

 

[gizmo33]

The demand to cease using the term clearly requires that I grant you superior status in the conversation

Actually, it implicit recognizes that your ability to think of synonyms is greater than his ability to hear the word/phrase and not be offended. The other person needs your help to not be offended, therefore you are superior.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

Well, that'll rather instantly make anyone who dislikes the current paladin's mount have a harder time expressing that dislike.

To me there is a world of difference between saying

"I hate the Pokemount"

and

"I hate that the current Paladin's Mount remind me of that kid's show with the little yellow thing that lives in a ball with it's popping in and out of existance all the time."

The first strikes me as someone that has heard a buzzword and is repeating it. I would get the impression that they haven't fully thought about the issue. I could very easily be wrong. Maybe they have written a 20+ page thoughtful document on the topic but I have no way of knowing that.

If someone told me the second statement I at least know a little more about it (they know where the Pokimon half of the name comes from - which even nowadays I've met people who knew the name Pokemon but that was it) and a little bit of why they don't like it.

If someone told me "I hate the Pokemount" I would ask "why" so it doesn't even save them any time/words/breath in the explanation. To me there is no purpose in using the term Pokemount exept for hot-button pushing.

 

[gizmo33]

"Bon mot" is an English term (stolen from the French, literally meaning "good word").

Hmmm. "Good word" literally means "good word" in English, professor. Thanks for the update though.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

If you felt a term was a loaded statement, could you tell the other person why you felt it was a loaded statement?

Yes, and I do believe that is part of the requirement in having a balanced conversation once the term gets used.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Maybe they have written a 20+ page thoughtful document on the topic but I have no way of knowing that.

It wasn't 20 pages. Or, at least, it wasn't just me for 20 pages.

If someone told me "I hate the Pokemount" I would ask "why" so it doesn't even save them any time/words/breath in the explanation. To me there is no purpose in using the term Pokemount exept for hot-button pushing.

If that person were in converstation with you alone, that might be true. However, when someone writes "I hate pokemounts" I understand (or believe that I understand) exactly what they are saying, and I believe that most people reading that understand (or believe that they understand) what is being said as well.

Moreover, if you then ask "Why?", the odds that "because it reminds me of Pokemon" is going to satisfy you if you find the term itself offensive seems (to me) slim indeed.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Hmmm. "Good word" literally means "good word" in English, professor. Thanks for the update though.

I didn't realize that you were kidding about the Elvish.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Yes, and I do believe that is part of the requirement in having a balanced conversation once the term gets used.

OK, then, why do you find these terms offensive:

Pokemount
MagicMart