The Language of Commerce

Every industry has its jargon.  Whether it is abbreviations, short-hand, specialized technical terms, or simple agreements about usage, jargon often is used to get a message across in a quick and concise manner.
 
Sometimes jargon helps us decide whether someone is truly in the industry, has experience, or is completely new to the situation.  A long time back I entered this industry as an assistant buyer for A&S in Brooklyn.  One of the first meetings I sat in on was with a manufacturer of high-end dinnerware.  I referred to one of the new patterns being introduced as “really nice dishes.”  I was glared at by the manufacturer’s sales manager and told in no uncertain terms that this was DINNERWARE, not dishes.
 
Over the years I’ve learned that it’s cookware, not pots and pans; flatware, not forks and knives; and drinkware, not glasses.
 
I’ve learned, accepted, and used buzzwords like “fashion forward,” “impact statement,” “cross-merchandising,” and the one that just won’t die, “sales associate.”
 
Now I’m not a stodgy, old fashioned-guy who gets worked up by the inevitable evolution of jargon.  Language is a living and breathing thing.  Words come in and out of style, usage changes over time, and grammar often adapts to usage.  I get it.  But the one word that sets my teeth on edge, a word that seems to have come into fashion in the last year or two is….curate.  As in “We are curating our assortment of spatulas,” or “We are going to curate our fall selection of beer glasses so our associates can better aid our guests with their purchases.”
 
Sorry, but I just can’t keep quiet about this one.  As much as I like and respect our industry you simply cannot convince me that buying master cartons of gadgets, serving bowls, water bottles, or oval bakers is the same as curating an exhibit of 19th -century French impressionists at the Met.
 
Can’t we just bring back “buy”?  Please?  If someone would only drive a stake through this word and stop this pompous nonsense I’ll promise not to giggle every time I use the word “associate.”