The mis-use of the word Diva

POGS This has been one of those contentious subjects on GN before – at least twice, I think. I think anno is right that only a very few soldiers are actual heroes, although many of them perform their duties and behave well. Some fireman, some policeman and some civilians are too. Whether a charity fundraiser or a gold medal winning Olympic athlete is a hero is another matter. Tricky use of the word in some contexts.

anno

That's where we differ, that is 'exactly' when I think it should be used.

I get really annoyed when 'hero' is applied to anyone in military uniform. They cannot possibly all be heroes in the strictest meaning of the term. But that's the tabloids for you.

It's the same for the use of the word 'Hero'.

I get really annoyed when the term 'Hero' is applied to sportsmen/women etc.

Nelliemoser I agree with you about the pleasures of language evolving to match the times. However, it is quite sad when you lose a useful word. Now, if you want to use diva in its original sense rather than as meaning showing off and conceited or a successful pop star who may or may not actually be able to sing, you have to use at least two words.

So what! I don't think it's misuse at all. Its just a change of use and most people will know what you mean by it. As others have said its another term for a prima donna with all the overtones of behaviour that has.

Think what has happened since Nixons "Watergate" 1972 incident. anything that reeks of scandal or corruption has this "gate" suffix and most people know exactly what it means.

I love this way of using language. Our language would be so much poorer if these expressions did not evolve.

Going to see Il Divo soon.

@ Galen

how could I forget them!

Il Divo,all four of them?

Divo, surely?

The star - usually a soprano - of the opera would be regarded as a kind of goddess. Is there a male equivalent? I can't think of one.

I always thought that 'Diva' meant Goddess (from the Latin)
The famous aria 'Casta Diva 'means literally 'Chaste Goddess'!

perhaps!

Galen I was being slightly facetious, I cited Alum Chine as a homage to doresetpennt cos she lives in Bournemouth, although having said that it is kind of awesome!

Galen Maybe not but it's still closer to awesome than a cup of a coffee is.

Alum chine? Awesome?nice maybe.

dorsetpennt I wonder if you aware that we have a dedicated forum – Pedants' Corner – for just this sort of thread.

One of my dictionaries actually specifies a celebrated opera singer so that would leave out Pink wouldn't it?

Charismatic is one of the misused words that gets on my nerves. Nowadays it just generally means well-known and sexy. It's certainly lost any association with the Christian church.

I used to work with an American jew and she used the expression Jewish American Princess (JAP) and said that it was not necessary to be Jewish, American or a Princess to be one. I think she was using that to mean the same as the current use of Diva.

Language changes all the time though, so perhaps this new use will soon make it into the dictionary.

I just googled it and got: "Diva is Europe's only mainstream lesbian magazine. UK news, details of the latest issue, an online shop, e-cards and a chat forum called the Blue Room."

Awesome! very over used, particularly in America. Whilst there last summer whenever a waiter took an order for even say coffee, they would respond with "awesome!" I don't think so, the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon,The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Alum Chine all awesome quite possibly, a coffee with milk definitely not. Another overused word, more homegrown, has to be "devastated" to describe a whole range of perceived disasters from losing a mobile phone, to being rejected by the X Factor Panel. A ridiculous word when used in the wrong context.

Love it grannyactivist how true.

I totally agree dorsetpent and of course some words have been given a different meaning altogether. Of course we are lucky if children actually leave school knowing how to spell never mind knowing the meaning of words and how to use them. I do not think that texting has helped because if you don't care how words are spelled you do not bother to use the dictionary to look them up. I still use my dictionary and keep it handy because there are always words I still come across that I either need to check the spelling of or not sure of the meaning. And I love crosswords so a dictionary is very useful.

Perhaps it goes something like this:
Diva = Prima Donna.
Prima Donna = A temperamental, conceited person.
Therefore: Diva = A temperamental, conceited person.

As theydontseem to teach the English language at school any more, I am not surprised!