My iPod Has Issues: Five Dollar Words

Last week, we had faculty meetings in preparation of the upcoming semester. As people talked and presentations were made, I realized something. We academicians use a lot of five dollar words.

I mean words like:

Pedagogy

Colloquium

Convocation

Socratic

Syllabus

Magna Cum Laude

Rubric

Vitae

You have to admit that those are not words used in everyday language.

Then, I wondered why we use five dollar words. Is it to show everyone how smart we are? Is is to prove that our profession is important? Is it to separate ourselves intellectually?

As those ideas raced through my mind, I realized that most professions have their own languages. We my family was involved in manufacturing, we used terms that many people would not recognize and not be able to define.

I reckon that is the way it is for the world’s numerous professions. They all have their own languages that set them apart from those who are not involved in that line of work.

It is strange phenomenon, but I imagine that it started a long time ago.

To honor the five dollar words of my profession and others, we will explore the selections of my iPod. However, these songs all have something in common. Their titles include words that are worth at least $4.99.

“Christo Redemptor” by Charlie Musselwhite

“Spybreak” by Propellerheads

“Contempt – Theme De Camille” by Georges Delerue

“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills and Nash

“Nocturne” by Daft Punk

“Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Deodato

“Toccato and Fugue in D Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach

“A Private Interlude” by Groove Armada

“Balfa Waltz” by David Doucet

“Pyramania” by The Alan Parsons Project

“Dengue Woman Blues” by Jimmie Vaughan

“De Guello” by Nelson Riddle

“John Barleycorn” by Traffic

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

“Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent

“Gracefully” by Vintage Trouble

“Anarchy in the U.K.” by The Sex Pistols

“Guitar Improvisation” by John Rubinstein and Tim McIntire

“Principles of Lust: Sadeness” by Enigma

“Torquay” by The Leftovers

Now, I have to figure out where I am going to spend the extra penny.

Tags: Academics, Charlie Musselwhite, Crosby Stills and Nash, Daft Punk, David Doucet, Deodato, Enigma, Georges Delerue, Groove Armada, iPod, Jimmie Vaughan, Johann Sebastian Bach, John Rubinstein, Music, Nelson Riddle, Propellerheads, Queen, Ted Nugent, The Alan Parsons Project, The Leftovers, The Sex Pistols, Tim McIntire, Traffic, Vintage Trouble