I was thinking about a common English term we all know and love that if examined makes little sense. It was my intention to explain this rarity by
having an imaginary conversation with someone who does not speak English. The word is so poorly coined that little trick will not be necessary – I
will try to explain the concept to you, in English.
The word is Vacation. I don’t have to look that word up to remind you it is derived from the word Vacate. So, in simple terms when you go on vacation,
you vacate something, somewhere. We rarely go on to bother to say where and what we have vacated. I suppose it is implied that we have vacated our
homes and perhaps our workplace.
I’m not sure that we always leave our homes and workspaces vacant and the listener can only guess that the places will only be temporarily vacant –
that we will surely return in a week or a month or sometime before the first snow.
We get in deeper trouble with the word when we say “We’re going to our vacation home in Aruba.” A vacation home is where you stay when your regular
home is vacant. You have to guess that when you go on vacation, you do not vacate your vacation home, you move in, fill it up for a short time.
It doesn’t help to tell people it is “A paid vacation.” That implies someone, somewhere is paying you to leave your home, leave your workplace
vacant.
It seems odd to me that many Americans consider The American Dream to be that time that you and your family can own a home of your own where you all
can have a safe, comfortable haven to enjoy after a hard day’s work and yet they celebrate with great jubilation the day when they can vacate the
place, leave it behind for a tent beside a mountain stream.
It is odder still that resorts, travel companies, hotels and motels the world over advertise with the most carefully chosen words to lure you to spend
your time and money with them except the pitch invariably starts with “Vacation Special” or “Family Vacation Packages”.
In summary, I think we can do a lot better and one of these days, when I have the time, I’ll find a nice replacement word for all of us.Pescador - 7-20-2012 at 07:44 AM
Actually vacant describes my mind quite well, some times.Udo - 7-20-2012 at 08:02 AM
Vacation:
I am sure you already looked up it's definition, however, google has many definitions of "VACATION", and the word can be used as either a noun or a
verb, which either way means almost the same thing.
The Merriam dictionary defines it as a respite time, while the Oxford dictionary prefers to term the word as a fixed holiday period between terms at
the University.
I prefer the word to mean staying for an extended period of time in La Ribera or Bahia Asunción.Skipjack Joe - 7-20-2012 at 08:03 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
Actually vacant describes my mind quite well, some times.
Yes, when I'm on a vacation my mind is vacant.DavidE - 7-20-2012 at 09:07 AM
In a resort area, we used to define it as when a worker was allowed to escape for a period of time.
They would run home. Pack everything from the house into the car. Snap their fingers.
Run back into the house and grab the kids. Get the car keys, drive off then return.
Shut off the lights and water.
Throw their brains in a closet.
Then drive off.Osprey - 7-20-2012 at 12:29 PM
Udo, others, stoppit! Don't go searching. I can do that. It does no good (on a word that doesn't work for us) to know the word was derived from Urdu
when it meant "To throw up all of one's fish stew".
Make one up. I'll try one: no more vacation. Now it's "Runinplay". As in "Why is Bob not at his desk here at the office?" "He's on runinplay" or "I
just called Helen and she's not at home" "No, she's on rininplay in Barcelona, etc. etc. etc.Cypress - 7-20-2012 at 12:41 PM
Vacation? It's a good trip! Enjoy!Oso - 7-20-2012 at 01:39 PM
R&R (Rest and relaxation or recreation is a better term.
A lot of George Carlin;s routines were devoted to quirks in the English language. I remember when he pointed out the error of the term "take a s**t".
Who wants to TAKE a s**t? We want to LEAVE a s**t.Cypress - 7-21-2012 at 04:38 PM
I could give a s**t!
vacation
Marinero - 7-21-2012 at 05:59 PM
I love Cypress's post. But for those who do, I think of my Baja place as "my Mexico house". Lately, it seems to be "Home".
