Dwain Northey (Gen X)

DRACONIAN

This is a word that I feel is overused and usually out of context. The literal meaning of Draconian is excessively harsh and severe, today the meaning has expanded to rigorous; unusually severe or cruel. It is a hard word, with hard connotations and as I said used often today and out of context.

I hear high school kids saying that their parents have draconian rules but when I ask what the rule is and consequences for breaking that rule are the adolescent does not articulate anything that could be construed as excessively severe.

Example: Rule- a curfew of 9pm during the week and 11pm on weekends.

                  Consequences for breaking rule- no going out or car for the next week.

Oh, my gawd that is the harshest punishment ever… at least to the teen. This is in no way DRACONIAN.

Now if the punishment for breaking curfew was No car, no going out, and 50 lashes with a cat of nine tails, that could be considered draconian.

I suppose I am a word snob, all I ask is if your going to try and sound smart don’t your big words out of context.