PRE-Fixated
I have an issue with the use of ‘pre’. I suppose as a writer, I notice and preponder over the English language quite a bit. I have been preoccupied with this for quite a while. I just cannot get behind this whole Pre Thing.
There is a laundry product on the market. It treats stains on clothing. You put the solution on the stain and it loosens the stain I suppose, and then you put the item in the wash. The television ad and the packaging both say ‘pre-treat’. Now I ask you, if I put this solution on my shirt, am I pre-treating it, or am I simply treating it? I say treating it – I am TREATING the stain. Pre-treat was right before, I… treated it.
So here is a classic example - waiting to board airplanes. So I am getting ready to fly, and I am sitting in the boarding lounge, and someone comes on the loudspeaker and announces that for certain people, it’s time to pre-board. Were we not ‘pre-boarding’ when we were all sitting waiting to board? Why is boarding called pre-boarding? The lovely voice on the loudspeaker should say, “Thank you for patiently pre-boarding for an hour – you will be happy to know it’s time to actually board”. They have been saying ‘pre-board’ for so long that no one stopped to consider, it’s silly.
“Dear J P: You are pre-approved for a new credit card. “ Isn’t EVERYONE in the whole world PRE-approved? I once was ‘pre-approved’ for a mortgage, but then when the crunch time came, I didn’t get the mortgage. So what was all the wasted time getting ‘pre approved’ about anyway? All the forms, paperwork, credit checks…..The broker wasted my time and got my hopes up with this so-called pre-approval. (yes it was you, Sylvia). Pre-approved just means, you may, or may not, get it. Let’s just get straight to approval, shall we?
You have purchased some new ready-to-use lawn furniture, and your item comes “pre-assembled”. Or as I like to say, ASSEMBLED. Wasn’t pre-assembled when it was sitting in parts all over the factory floor? ..some poor underpaid worker scratching his head, trying to figure out which stripped bolts to put in which holes? THAT was pre-assembled.
There is a new epic book out: Pre-order a copy now, or, as I prefer to say, ORDER a copy now.
You can buy local blueberries.. sign says, ‘U-pick’ or ‘Pre-picked’. You know, “We-picked” I could get behind… or “just picked”, but pre-picked? I believe they were pre-picked right before they were…ahhh.. picked ..let’s call it what it is, which is,..PICKED.
Recently I looked at my province’s insurer for vehicles. I wondered if I could get a quote ahead of time, Yes, says the website, but I must ‘pre-list’ all the drivers who use my vehicle. What is ‘pre-list”? do they mean LIST?
Pre-heat your oven? Or HEAT your oven…... Well, I presume by now you get the idea.
So I am being a bit precautionary going forward. There is one pre I CAN get behind, and that is that I liked the PreCovid Era much more than the current one. Ditch pre, it’s preposterous, and presumptive, and please, don’t prejudge me. :>)