A downgrading of meaning
Alas, I am an old fuddy-duddy. I find myself writing this post knowing that it is going to place me firmly in the camp of Old Grouch.You'll notice that I'm still posting it though. I'm ornery that way.
What I want to discuss today is the downgrading and degrading of the meaning of some words because of the way that they are used today. Let me show you what I mean...
Gourmet - this word used to describe a food or beverage that had been prepared carefully with premium ingredients. Oftentimes the preparation takes considerable time and training. Oftentimes this extra effort and better ingredients means you can expect to pay more for a "gourmet" item.
However, the meaning of this word has been downgraded and demeaned. You can get "gourmet" coffee at McDonald's and at the gast station. If you can get them there, and at the gas station you serve yourself, is it really "gourmet"? In price, maybe, but the rest of the description falls flat.
It doesn't matter if you do use a fancy script, a 150-thread count sheet will never qualify as "luxurious" unless your frame of reference is one of Saddam Hussein's torture chambers.
It doesn't matter if you label a burlap bag "Sateen", it won't make it so. It will still be rougher than a porcupine stuck in a briar patch.
I'm just sayin'...
