Using Language With Purposeful Intent: JUST Etymology & Definitions
- PenName Protection
- Dec 15, 2024
- 6 min read
The misuse (and extensive OVER use) of the word “just” has bothered me for decades. Notwithstanding, I kept quiet about it, “letting it go” like everything else.
But that ends now. Mostly, because I heard someone else gripe about the misuse of this word recently, and, after I finished agreeing, I said to myself, “Hey, Pseudo! That’s your fault! You could have prevented his misery and everyone else’s if only you bothered to be the person you were born to be and started working to eradicate the possibility of its existence before it manifested, damn it!”
So, better late than never.
Markedly, another consequence of “letting things go,” specifically regarding vocabulary, is that you may eventually “go along to get along” and start abusing words, yourself. A consequence to which I have fallen victim, contributing to my gradual decline during my sleeping days of yore.
However, I’ve recently put this challenge at the forefront of my brain so as to be more aware of when I’m about to use the word inappropriately, and either replace it or remove it altogether from my speech. And if you’re looking for new ways to make minor yet significant ways of “doing the work” and focusing on yourself, I suggest you do too.
It's “JUST” Wrong (Examples of Misuse)
By my observation, the word “just” is commonly used to express its secondary and modern tertiary definitions; furthermore, it’s rarely used for its primary definition.
Here are some examples of sentences wherein “just” is commonly –yet, I argue, improperly– used:
“We JUST returned from the Taylor Swift concert, and we can’t recall anything.”
“It isn’t enough JUST to be red-pilled, you need to look within.”
“JUST stop with the nonsense; there is no conspiracy, Matt.”
“Can’t we all JUST get along?”
So, what’s the problem with these sentences? Well, to answer that, let's first consider the primary definition and etymology of “Just.”
The Definition of “Just”
Once upon an Old Normal, I could confidently promote to a fellow logophile that the ideal definition of a word is the first entry offered in the dictionary.
Unfortunately, depending on the dictionary, that may not be the case these days, as we’re presented with varied presentations of word definitions — an action that defies the very definition of defining.
Regardless, a compilation of entries yields three parts of speech potentially employed in the use of “just:”
Adjective: Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair; treating people or situations in a way that is considered morally right and fair.
Example: "The judge made a just decision based on the evidence presented."
Adverb: Used to emphasize that an action or event occurred at the exact or precise moment required, often implying timeliness or ideal timing.
Example: "He arrived just in time for the meeting, preventing any delays in the presentation."
Noun: Joust (antiquated)
As an adjective, we see the word is in accordance with the principles of morality and ethics.
On the other hand, as an adverb, it’s used to convey a preciseness or exactness.
The word can also be used as a noun to refer to a joust or tournament, though I’m fairly certain that absolutely no one is using this antiquated version at this point in time.
Still, when it comes to contemporary usage, “just” has taken on several different meanings, including:
Only
Simply
Very recently
By a narrow margin
Quite or very
Directly
Perhaps or possibly
With this in mind, let’s continue...
The Etymology of “Just”
Looking at the etymology, we see that the concept of fairness and rightness is at the core of the word's meaning, both in modern English and the Latin word “justus” or “iustus” from which it allegedly originates.
The word initially meant "morally upright, righteous in the eyes of God." And, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, this definition is "Now chiefly as a Biblical archaism."
During the Middle English period (roughly the 12th to 15th centuries), just made its way into the English language through Old French, which, we’re told, had a significant influence on the English vocabulary due to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
The Old French word "juste" retained the meaning of fairness and righteousness, aligning with the Latin origins. Notably, it seems this is when the word was taken from the religious principles lexicon and introduced to the vernacular describing man’s laws. And in my opinion, this is where things began to go sour.
The word evolved to take on the meanings of "equitable, fair, impartial in one's dealings," "fitting, proper, conforming to standards or rules," and "justifiable, reasonable." It was used to describe actions, laws, or behaviors that adhered to principles of fairness, morality, and legality.
To boot, the adverbial use of "just" comes from the Middle English sense of "exactly, precisely, punctually" and parallels the adverbial use of the French "juste."
The Hebrew Word for “Just”
Have you noticed the bizarre infatuation the Notnilc narrative has with all things Latin, Greek, and Roman? I sure have, and it's sus AF.
Thus, whenever I encounter a word attempting to convince me that its origins lay among these languages, cultures, and histories, I’m left to conclude that it is likely part of “The Trick,” and I go back to consider the Hebrew.
By looking at Scripture, we find the Hebrew word “צֶ֫דֶק” (Tsedeq) spelled with three letters, צ (Tzade), ד (Dalet), and ק (Qof), each with its own meaning and significance:
"Tzade" (צ ) --- Represents the pursuit of righteousness and justice.
"Dalet" (ד ) --- Represents a door or pathway, symbolizing the way to righteousness.
"Qof" (ק ) ---Represents holiness and purity.
Together, these three letters create a word that embodies the ideals of righteousness, justice, and holiness, conveying a profound and revered notion of ethical conduct, moral integrity, and justice.
PenName’s Proposal
Over the centuries, just has retained its fundamental meaning of fairness and moral correctness. Despite what the folks at Oxford say, it is still used, albeit sparingly, to describe actions, decisions, or behaviors that are in accordance with principles of justice, equity, and rightness, and it signifies the alignment of one's actions or intentions with ethical and moral standards.
Furthermore, the grander bastardization of this word seems to begin once it was introduced to English speakers.
For these reasons, I propose we throw out the use of just as an Adverb altogether, as I think this is some kind of English grammar spell-craft. At the very least, using just as an adverb has a tendency to sound childish and stupid.
JUST Corrections: A Guide To Breaking Free From Spell-craft & Sounding Stupid
Employing the proper definition, let’s take another look at our example sentences to see how we can improve them.
"We JUST returned from the Taylor Swift concert, and we can't recall anything."
In this sentence, the use of just implies the action of returning from the concert is somehow morally right or fair. However, no moral judgment is involved, [insert your own “Swifties” joke here]; it's a simple statement of time.
Thus instead, Swifties could say:
"We RECENTLY returned from the Taylor Swift concert, and we can't recall anything after that weird witchcraft performance."
Moving on.
"It isn't enough JUST to be red-pilled; you need to look within."
Here, just suggests that being "red-pilled" is somehow morally right or fair. Yet, whether someone is "red-pilled" or not isn't a matter of morality; it's more of a personal choice or perspective.
In this case, we might try to emphasize that more work is to be done and say:
"It isn't enough MERELY to be red-pilled; you need to look within yourself to find the truth and purpose of your existence."
Next:
“JUST stop with the nonsense; there is no conspiracy, Matt.”
Again, the proper use of just here implies that stopping with nonsense is the morally right or fair thing to do. (Another argument for another day). In actuality, this statement is more about expressing impatience or irritation.
Ergo, Tony could instead say:
"PLEASE stop with the nonsense; there is no conspiracy, Matt. Don’t be one of “those” people."
And on that note:
"Can't we all JUST get along?"
While it's a positive sentiment, it doesn't inherently involve a moral judgment.
Luckily, this is an easy correction via simple elimination, leaving us with:
"Can't we all get along?"
Caveat Conclusion/Pseudo Psays
Still, not every idiom containing the word just is potential spell-work. In fact, when researching and pondering this, some phrases stood out to me as a potential “truth hidden in plain sight.”
To put it another way, changing the meaning of the word to convey the adjective definition instead of the adverb definition seems to create poignant proverbs for life.
And one such phrase befitting this theory is, “Just in time.”
As opposed to using this phrase as a way to express “exactly in time” or even “before too late,” I propose we claim this phrase for truth seekers everywhere and provide Just with the Justice it deserves.
Because these days, I like to think that we’re all striving to live just — in time.
Comments