As our culture changes over time, so inevitably does our language. A major point of debate in the field of linguistics is how we determine the meaning of words. Do certain words inherently have meaning, or do we assign them in some way? And if we determine the meaning of words, can we use them to say whatever we want, regardless of accepted practice?
Though these issues are immensely complex, a simple example of the game we play with language can be seen on the menu of Starbucks. If I want a 12 oz. (or small) coffee I need to order a "tall." Now I stand about 5’5" and my father-in-law is about 6’5". I would say that I am small and that he is tall. And yet, Starbucks, due more to marketing concerns I would assume than anything, has decreed that tall is the new word for small.
And so it has happened due to the pervasiveness of Starbucks in our culture, regardless of how bitter and nasty their coffee really is (not including their latte’s and mocha’s that is). As I sat in a cafe this past week I overheard someone order a tall coffee, while intending to order a small. Not missing a beat, the server handed her the smallest size.
