From
time to time I am asked by someone to teach him or her how to shoot or handle
firearms. I have had formal training in firearms instruction and taught a great
many beginners how to shoot safely. One tool I've found useful is YouTube.
There are a number of excellent videos (and many more stinkers) on handling and
shooting firearms that I can simply send to folks to give them a basic
understanding before we actually go hands-on. I also prefer to do some hands-on
training before we ever go to the range with live ammo.
Something
that I've begun to find bothersome is the slang/jargon/lingo/terminology that
is cropping up in a lot of the new videos.
I’ve been active in the shooting sports for almost half a century. More importantly, I’m interested in the
history and theory of firearms and shooting and actively seek out
information. My collection of books and
magazines is extensive. In addition, and
perhaps more importantly, I have years of personal experience in almost all
aspects of shooting. Many of these videos
include terminology that I’m not familiar with and worse, this new terminology
is replacing terms that have been in use for a hundred years or more.
There are several reasons for the new
slang. The first and only legitimate use
is to describe something new. If there
is a genuinely new piece of equipment, or technique, or understanding of a
process, then a new term is required.
Unfortunately, there are a lot fewer new things in the world of firearms
than the youngsters would like to admit.
The
other reasons for new terminology are less acceptable and more frequent.
Simple
ignorance can breed a new word or phrase.
One of the advantages of books is that they can pre-date the
Internet. It’s hard for the current
generation to understand how recent and ephemeral the information they find on
the Internet really is. Online info also
spreads very quickly so the youngsters hear the other youngsters using the same
verbiage (and in some cases mispronunciations) and assume it’s correct. A lack of knowledge of history forces
reinvention. I would personally rather
build on the knowledge of my predecessors instead of having to rediscover
everything myself.
Marketing
is another reason for the new jargon.
All the new tactical trainers have a monetary interest in gathering
students. Since the current generation
grew up with rapidly changing technology “new is better” has become an accepted
(although potentially inaccurate) catchphrase.
It’s hard to stand out from your competition if you teach essentially
the same curriculum. One way to stand
out is to teach something “new” and different.
Since there is remarkably little “new” in the shooting world, making up
new terminology for old concepts is one way to differentiate yourself from your
competition. To be fair, some of these
guys are genuinely ignorant of what came before so are, in all innocence,
reinventing the wheel.
Another
and more disturbing reason for new terminology is exclusion. There’s a tendency for humans to want to
belong to groups. People want to believe
they’re special and belonging to an exclusive group makes them feel special. This often leads to wanting to keep others
out of the group. A secret language or
inside joke is one way to exclude others.
If we’d like the shooting sports to grow, we have to be inclusive of
others. By intimidating new shooters, we
limit the interest, growth, and support of firearms and shooting.
The
whole point of communication is to make ourselves understood. The correct and consistent use of terminology
is important to clear communication. If
we insist on rapidly changing or misusing the language, we defeat the entire
purpose.
