Advisory: When I first set out to establish this blog, it was started with the intent to be mostly technology related. The following post veers from this standard and may be par for the course as this blog develops over time.
So, when did “vet” (v.) become part of the English lexicon? In recent weeks, I find myself and others using this term far more frequently in place of more common vocabulary like “discuss” or “examine.” According to dictionary.com, apart from being an occupation related to the medical treatment of animals (n.), “to vet” is defined as “to appraise, verify, or check for accuracy, authenticity, validity, etc.” Surprisingly, a similar variation of this definition was added to the Miriam Webster Dictionary in 1891 (the Oxford English Dictionary information is not readily available). I would have thought it was more recent; and, then again, I make no claims to be an expert linguist.
Surely, we can understand the evolution of this term. A veterinarian, like a doctor, is responsible for the well-being of an animal and must perform an accurate examination prior to recommending corrective or preventative measures. An extension of this would be a vetting process, though we never hear of a veterinarian performing the action of “vetting” an animal. Instead, today we are more likely to hear this phrase in connection with politics:
- Had Senator John McCain vetted Sarah Palin more rigorously, he may have chosen another candidate.
- President Obama’s administration required all employee candidates to go through a vetting process before final consideration.
The corporate world has now adopted the term. Ideas that are floated about may require further assessment prior to making a final decision. Rather than say “we need to examine this further” it is more often stated as “we need to vet this further.” I invite you to vet this blog further and provide feedback as it, too, continues to evolve.
Tags: dictionary, language, lexicon, linguistics, vet
