I was in a parking garage and the signage, instead of bearing the traditional “exit”, was all labeled with the word “out.” It’s certainly the language we use most — as in “how do I get OUT of this maze that is a parking garage?” — but it struck me because while the word is used frequently in practice, it is rarely used on signs. I wondered who made the decision to go against convention and what the thinking was behind it.
Every day, we make word choices that seemingly are too small to be noticed but have a cumulative effect of changing how we operate. Switching from “exit” to “out” might inspire others to have signs that reflect the spoken word. Negatively, using language that is a microaggression may implicitly signal to others that the colloquial demeaning is acceptable. Bringing the slang of texting into our email may degrade the message or the perceived professionalism of the sender.
It may be just a word, but all language matters. Choose yours with intention.
