The semantic halo

In his book Studies in Words (1960), C.S. Lewis writes about what he calls a semantic halo that floats over certain words at certain times in history.

One of his examples is the word gentleman, which at one time was a "designative term" like peasant or nobleman, Lewis writes. Later the term came to refer to men who maintained certain standards. "You are no gentleman," one gentleman might say to another who cheats at cards. The word had gained a halo, which since has been lost.

The word lady also gained a short-lived halo. Eventually people began referring to "cleaning ladies," a sure sign that the halo had been lost. Recently we heard of a man being fired from his job for using the word ladies in reference to female colleagues. No halo there.

Another word Lewis mentions is life. In the 17th century life was famously described as "nasty, brutish and short." The word gained status over the years, thanks perhaps to the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Life was getting its halo. It became something to be revered, not just human life but all life. Today's political pressures seem determined to strip away that halo, especially pertaining to the phrase "right to life."

In the divided culture we live in today semantic halos seem to come and go depending upon what you believe and which side you take. Transexual has a halo as some use the word. Democracy has been given a halo, especially by those determined to change its definition. Just a few years the two major races in the United States were called black and white. Lately I've been noticing they have changed to Black and white, the capital letter suggesting a halo.