Sunday, January 15, 2006
The Lingo
About 10 years ago when I worked in the bank as a clerk, I spent some time with our area manager. She was a nice woman, from what I could tell. Not being one given to speaking rhetoric or parroting popular language, I didn't always fit in with those who are higher up, but some of the bosses were great at fitting in with lots of kinds of people. I found myself at one point getting excited about being with her and catching the vision that she had for the company. Then I did it. I spoke a sentence or two that wasn't who I was. I said the catchy party phrases. I threw the lingo like I lived and breathed it. I almost winced as soon as I realized what I did. It was like I lied about who I was, but the lie wasn't intentional. I just gave in and joined the group for that moment. What group? Well, not the bank, because I had given in and sold out to the good things of the company long before. But I uttered the words that meant I was part of the "in" group...and the words never really mattered to me.
In the bank we realized as employees, that we have an internal language. It was unique to us and separated us from those who were not part of us. We began to realize that we were getting so immersed in the use of the language that we were excluding others - namely our clients. "It will take 24 hours for your SRF to link with your PTB access" one client repeated back to me that a staff member had said. I couldn't believe the client was smart enough to remember the terminology, and that the staff member was lofty enough to use the words outside the group that was "on the inside".
I have a different job now. Someone who joined recently said that it has been difficult for her to get used to the internal phrases and acronyms that are used in this business. Again, it separates the insiders from the outsiders. Oh, I realize that's not why the special languages are made. They evolve out of a need for short acronyms, or motivational speech. One person in influence coins a saying or uses a word in a new context, and those below grab hold. It's only for those within, and gives the group distinction. Not intentionally for the most part, but that is the result.
Don Miller writes: "I feel like I am constantly saying things I don't mean."... "I said to a guy the other day 'God bless you.' What does that mean? Then I started thinking about all the crap I say. All the cliches, all the parroted slogans. I have become an infomercial for God..."
In my search to define who I am, I wonder about this. I don't want to use words that separate me from others, just so I can feel accepted by a particular group. There is a pressure from within to say certain things to indicate an acceptable level of spirituality or 'witness'. If it doesn't come from inside me I don't want to lie. If it excludes those outside the Christianity circuit I don't want to use the language. After all, it's all rhetoric...all lingo.
That rhymes with Ringo and bingo. Under the B - 9.
In the bank we realized as employees, that we have an internal language. It was unique to us and separated us from those who were not part of us. We began to realize that we were getting so immersed in the use of the language that we were excluding others - namely our clients. "It will take 24 hours for your SRF to link with your PTB access" one client repeated back to me that a staff member had said. I couldn't believe the client was smart enough to remember the terminology, and that the staff member was lofty enough to use the words outside the group that was "on the inside".
I have a different job now. Someone who joined recently said that it has been difficult for her to get used to the internal phrases and acronyms that are used in this business. Again, it separates the insiders from the outsiders. Oh, I realize that's not why the special languages are made. They evolve out of a need for short acronyms, or motivational speech. One person in influence coins a saying or uses a word in a new context, and those below grab hold. It's only for those within, and gives the group distinction. Not intentionally for the most part, but that is the result.
Don Miller writes: "I feel like I am constantly saying things I don't mean."... "I said to a guy the other day 'God bless you.' What does that mean? Then I started thinking about all the crap I say. All the cliches, all the parroted slogans. I have become an infomercial for God..."
In my search to define who I am, I wonder about this. I don't want to use words that separate me from others, just so I can feel accepted by a particular group. There is a pressure from within to say certain things to indicate an acceptable level of spirituality or 'witness'. If it doesn't come from inside me I don't want to lie. If it excludes those outside the Christianity circuit I don't want to use the language. After all, it's all rhetoric...all lingo.
That rhymes with Ringo and bingo. Under the B - 9.
// posted by Annette @ 1:11 a.m. 