Discussion»Questions»Language» If our guys/gals kill and are killed on foreign shores what the he** difference does it make what you call it? I call it war. What do you?
Isn't that just a beautiful thing about our language? That we have so many terms available to convey the same concepts. We can invoke strong emotions, or soothe them hinging on the choice of words. I think in the case you cite, its a matter of scale. Why not "conflagration"? It just sounds intense.
We might say one man's "war" is another's "insurgency" or the belittling "police action" or "intervention". Maybe I'll go with "conflict", i.e.Vietnam, or something more sterile like "ops", or the nearly funny "wet work".
