Incorrigible

(Original Post: January 15, 2006 - Sunday)

Incorrigible. I looked it up. It means unable to be corrected. Now, in order to be corrected, something or someone would have to be incorrect. Incorrect to such a degree that someone would look upon the state of incorrectness and say, holy fuck, this situation is beyond correction. It seems to be a pretty strong word. Who is in the position to determine that level of incorrectness? Obviously my friend Alex. Because today during an everyday Instant Message conversation he referred to me as Incorrigible.
Now at first I was confused, because he spelled it Unincouragable. Which, if spelled correctly, would actually be, Unencouragable, and would mean, someone who could not be encouraged. Now, that in itself is a pretty tough pill to swallow. I mean, at what point during our conversation did I seem to be above encouragement? However, he did not mean that. He meant Incorrigible, which we've determined means unable to be corrected.
I am an advocate for defending words that are sometimes taken in the wrong context. When my student used ignorant to describe the military some instructors were ready to fry him at the stake. I quickly jumped in and said, "Although it can not be argued that ignorant means lacking education or knowledge, I have to say that it can also mean, unaware or uninformed. And I'm sure that is what was meant when he used it." And when another student of mine used the word Rangy to describe one of his drill sergeants, some may have found it offensive. It means gangly or awkwardly built. But it also can mean something as simple as tall and thin, which is the way I'm sure he meant it. However, Rangy in all its definitions would probably have been right on in that case. But there is only one meaning for Incorrigible.
Alex did not mean to offend me. He said it playfully. To be fair, it is probably in some way true. Specially in reference to my love life. And that was what it was in reference to, BTW.
Unable to be corrected huh? No correction ability you say? In that case, let's start a club. Cause if this word describes my love life, then I know it describes most. Post if your love life is Incorrigible, unmanagable or for some of us, just plain ol' unattainable.
If you are corrigible, manageable and attainable, fuck off.