Monday, March 21, 2011

Definition and application: Accommodate

In recent weeks through email, phone calls and face-to-face communications I've learned a valuable lesson.  Words are defined one way and applied another in each interaction.  Here's an example:  Today's word is ACCOMMODATE.

The word 'accommodate' by the Merriam-Webster dictionary.com definition is:

1: to make fit, suitable, or congruous


2: to bring into agreement or concord : reconcile

3: to provide with something desired, needed, or suited (as a helpful service, a loan, or lodgings)

What I have found in communicating via email, it means:  "I want it my way or it shouldn't be at all."  or "It doesn't fit my personal schedule."
 
What I have found in communicating via face-to-face, it means:  "Oh, I didn't see it/know about it/insert excuse here." 
 
My reply:  In my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation, "STOP WHINING!"
That concludes today's lesson in definition and application.  Tune in next week for more wisdom from the soap box.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think we have spoken/emailed the same people. Uncanny.