There is this one commercial that has been equally intriguing me and driving me nuts lately. David says I need to take a couple of deep breaths and let it go, but I can't. Here's part of the ad.
This isn't the part that's driving me crazy (Damn YouTube for not having the whole thing). Just before this, the announcer tells everyone that there are seven great flavors of Barbasol. Flavors? I'm intrigued because the commercial shows that the meaning of "flavor" is expanding to something beyond taste. "Flavor" is now starting to mean variety, type, kind, etc. The commercial is at least a couple years old, and I know this usage of "flavor" isn't exactly new either. When I worked at Osco, my co-workers would always talk about stocking different "flavors" of nail polish, dish soap, cleaning products, and other inedible items. I never joined my co-workers in this usage for one simple reason- it absolutely turned my stomach. I didn't want to think about drinking "Autumn Berry" nail polish.
When the Barbasol commercial comes on, I have a fit because I am forced to think about eating shaving cream- usually in a custard cup with a spoon or plopped on an ice cream cone like soft serve. And then I go upstairs, stand in the bathroom, look at David's Barbasol can, and think, hmmm... what would "Soothing Aloe" taste like? Or better yet, what would the flavors "Sensitive Skin" "Extra Protection" and "Therapeutic" taste like? I'm really curious about "Therapeutic." I have a feeling they'll all taste like soap- and I do know what that tastes like. My parents never punished me that way; I just wanted to see what the big deal was about after watching A Christmas Story.
Anyway... I wonder how many people use "flavor" to mean variety. And just as important, how far does the usage extend? Different varieties of liquids or scented materials make sense to me, perhaps because of my Osco experience. But I can't imagine asking for a different flavor of book, CD, or clothing, at least, not in the same way with the same exact meaning.
So keep an eye out for the Barbasol commercial, and try not to eat any shaving cream.
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2 comments:
Monica, in Old English 'steorfan' meant 'to die of any cause' and today, we've got 'starve' which means 'to die of hunger.'
The Latin 'nescius', and Old French 'nice' both meant 'ignorant, foolish' and in contemporary English , 'nice' means 'pleasing.' Middle English 'seely' meant 'blessed, happy, or lucky' and today 'silly' means 'foolish.'
I can't stop now that I've started. The Old English 'docga' meant, 'a particular breed of large canines' now means, in modern English, 'dog' (canine).
So I think if some widening or generalization is happening with 'flavor' I guess all we can do is wait for the day when we can say, 'back when I was young, and flavor meant /varieties of stuff you eat or drink......'
I'm gonna speculate that this change started with toothpaste and mouthwash, you don't really (or shouldn't) ingest mouth wash, or toothpaste, or throat spray, or vicks vapor rub....but these were some of the first products to come in 'flavors.' Does your Osco experience jive with this?
I recently had a coupon for and purchased, 'raspberry scented razors.' These freaked me out. Seriously, why should a molded plastic safety razor, have any odor whatsoever? I think the odor achieved what it was designed for: this product is the best, and only type of razor, I will ever buy, for the rest of my life. (No really, they are that great).
just today buffy sent me out to get her some deoderant. she said "i just get the powder scent. i don't like any of the flavors."
there's some more semantic respecification for you. well now i think this needs to go into a post.
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