Valerie is a 42-year-old, single, Reformed Christian lady who lives in Baltimore. She doesn't remember a time
before she knew and loved Jesus, but she does remember accepting John Calvin into her heart in March of 2000.
Valerie is a member of Christ Reformed Evangelical Church in Annapolis.
Though her career aspiration is to be a housewife, Valerie has not yet found anyone suitable who wishes to hire
her for employment in that field (or, more properly, anyone suitable has not found her), so in the meantime she
earns her daily bread working in communications -- editing, writing, print design and website management.
I Hate the Word 'Plaque'
At work, to honor outgoing board or staff members, we have a piece of artwork or a photo framed along with a text inset bearing words of gratitude. I hate that we call these 'plaques.' A few months ago I did a couple pieces of calligraphy when we thanked our elders for their service during our congregation's interim between pastors. I cringed when they were presented as 'plaques.'
A plaque is one of those ugly engraved black slabs you can get at a trophy shop. Or its classier cousin the rectangle of brass or stone commemorating a donation or a historical event. Or the stuff you scrape off your teeth. It isn't a word that should be applied to a piece of artwork.
Why this popped urgently into my head at 7 o'clock on a Sunday morning is beyond my ken. My barbie doesn't know why, either.
Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7:16 AM
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5 comments
On October 8, 2007 9:22 AMpentamomwrote... I agree with you that it's not the right word, but I think the problem might be that there's no good word (at least not one that people know) for that kind of thing.
What would you call it? Wall hanging conjures up something made out of fabric that you bought at a yard sale, and "framed calligraphy" just sounds awkward in the context, and "piece of artwork" still worse.
So, for lack of anything else to call it, it gets called a plaque.
On October 9, 2007 8:00 PMValerie (Kyriosity)wrote... Yeah, that's exactly the problem...I can't think of a better word, either. So I can't really fault the people who use it...it's just one of those editorial pet peeves o' mine!
On October 18, 2007 5:00 PMEpeuthutebeteswrote... Hmm, there's usually no problem when it's Chinese calligraphy, because then it's just a scroll! But even if it's not, in Chinese you can always call it by what the content of the words is: a couplet, a "golden verse" (i.e., from the Bible) or whatever it is. So I guess Chinese doesn't have a word for it either.
