Have you been VETTED recently?

Dear Colleagues on both sides of
the desk across the curriculum,

I got tired of hearing about people
being vetted for some position or other,
properly vetted  or not. and not knowing
where that term originated.
 
I figured  by context "vet" had to do
with  background checks, qualifications,
infractions,  information that could be
used  for and against.
 
It’s a recent term, I think.
Don’t recall hearing it in
the 90’s  when “robust”
was popular, and, among
students: “plethora.”
 
So I looked it up.
Googled, of course.
And I wonder how many of you,
my  colleagues, know the origin
of what it means to be vetted—
using the term yourselves, I bet,
in reference to  candidates for
positions because we all know
its common sense meaning, just
not necessarily its origins
.
Veterinarian.
 
‘To vet was originally a horse-racing term,
referring to the requirement that a horse be
checked for health and soundness by a
 veterinarian before being allowed to race.
Thus, it has taken the general meaning
"to check."
 
CAREER: a fast,  careening  dash down
a  short track.
 
Nice.
 
Did you know the literal meaning of  NICE
is ne sciere: :no science,” not knowing,
ignorance? Quaint.  Not at all what you’d
guess from its common sense.
 
And “sin” (a favorite)—from I.E. es, esse
meaning “essence,” “being”—which makes
original sin a redundancy not to mention a
given.
 
I could go on. And do, in class. Pedant.
Pedagogue : a trusted servant who walked
the children to school (L. schola – leisure). .
 
ARTICULATE:  to divide the beast
neatly at the joints (I.E. ar, ars) with a
minimum of blood and gristle. A
butchers term. No wonder  I feel
guilt all the time, my domestic
violation of the  whole.
 
SUFFER: to stand up form under: 
Atlas  un-shrugged  carrying a weight
of the world. Painful? Sure. But not  pain.

Bearing the pain and who wouldn’t  want
to be  able? .  Give us your children: we’ll
teach  them how to suffer well–showing
by example our scapegoating capabilities.
Empowering.
 
Like “vet,” we use these words in the
common sense emotively—connotations
carrying meaning like beasts of burden,
Not the denotations. We call someone
logical and rational because we  agree
with  them, like what they say— not
because they  are expert in syllogism
and  ratios.; Oh my  god we exclaim—not
n any prayerful way:  that’s awesome,
terrific, surreal:  all pretty  much surrogate
synonyms standing for the same exclamation
of wonder
 
It’s connotation that counts.
Denotation—not so much.  
Who worries about horses when
someone, anyone is being vetted?

xxxooo, Sam