a seemingly little thing that really really bothers me

[keryx]

Use of the verb "to stalk" to mean "follow in a cute and fun way" instead of "be a creepy predator".

I've seen it a million billion times lately, and this has got to stop. It's one of those cases where yes, the standing definition can refer to a number of different things, but it's also a very specific, mostly gendered, crime, and one that gets trivialized enough as is. If you wouldn't say a hurricane "raped" Florida, than you shouldn't talk about "stalking" Colin Firth.

That's all. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Comments

[rackletang.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I use this often, and you're probably right. We'll see if I can taper off. I am a fan of dramatic hyperbole, though. So it's hard sometimes. :|

[grrangela.livejournal.com]

I'm guilty too, for the same reason. I have a love of the grandiose. I'll try to wean off "stalking" though.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Ditto what I said to rackletang. And thanks. :)

[keryx.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. I have a similar resistance to "lame", in that I have a fondness for 80s-kitsch-slang where you go in for hyperbole. But I fight it. ;)