Got a “reputation”?

05Aug08

During your middle school years, you sincerely tried to avoid earning a bad “reputation” so that the teachers didn’t report any poor behavior to your parents. Now, your “reputation” is multifaceted and can vary amongst social circles, places of work, home, friends, etc. In addition to your actions in person (maybe you shouldn’t have thrown a stapler at work just because you were frustrated), we also have to consider our online “reputation.” With so many expressive outlets online, our “reputations” can instantly be shaped in positive and negative ways.

Considering that our “reputation” is now being constructed in more places than ever, it might be a good idea to take a deeper look at the word that represents how others perceive us.

Reputation:

1 a: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general b: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability <has the reputation of being clever>

2: a place in public esteem or regard : good name <trying to protect his reputation>

 

The definition speaks of a voyeuristic quality as we are “judged” or “recognized” by “other people.” Also interesting to note, is that in the second part of the definition, “reputation” is perceived as something that is positive, regardless of a preceding descriptive adjective. As much as I love the role of the optimist, “reputation” is not a consistently positive term, as we all have chances to earn a bad “reputation.”

A “reputation” is made up of the judgment of others that is based on our actions in several places. This adds an element of honesty to a “reputation” as it can be built over time and in various scenarios. That being said, a true “reputation” is one that is echoed amongst various individuals.

 The word itself can be dated back to the 14^th century and comes from,  “reputatus, pp. of reputare ‘reflect upon, reckon.’” So word to the wise, reflect about a person before you judge them, as a “reputation” is a strong word that shapes how a person is perceived. And to those expressing themselves online, it’s probably a good idea to act and speak in a manner that is truly you, because even though some people might skip over your nasty blog comment, just remember that Google (like an elephant) never forgets.

Filed under: etymology, words   |  2 Comments
Tags: merriam webster, online etymology dictionary, reputation