Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[mercia]

I associate curators with museums - I wouldn't like to think of Radio 3 as a museum

[jean]

I associate curators with museums...

Museums, galleries, whatever. But we weren't given a specific context within which grating took place.

(Ed: Someone's talking about a 'curator' at London Zoo on R4 at this moment!)

.

[vinteuil]

My earlier objection to the verb curate was to its use in recent broadcasting etc media meaning 'to programme a concert / a series of concerts'. Of course I'm very happy for museum curators to go on curating. Tho' as far as museums are concerned I've always liked the term 'Keeper'...

[jean]

Someone who curates a particular art exhibition - a very common use of the word these days - isn't best described as a keeper. Indeed, one of their chief tasks is to get other collections to relinquish pieces, even if only for a limited period...

[vinteuil]

... a curator of an exhibition is of course not a Keeper.

I merely said that as far as museums were concerned I had always liked the term Keeper.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/departments/prints_and_drawings/staff.aspx

[teamsaint]

lets hope it doesn't all spread to the beautiful game.

I can't see "Goal Curator" catching on though.
Perhaps in cricket,......

[Bryn]

lets hope it doesn't all spread to the beautiful game.

I can't see "Goal Curator" catching on though.
Perhaps in cricket,......

Since curation is about tending, looking after, managing (it originally related to sickness), it would indeed be in appropriate if used in place of goal-keeping, However, when applied with regard to musical events, etc, it seems fairly apposite to me.

[vinteuil]

.... curation ... when applied with regard to musical events, etc, ... seems fairly apposite to me.

... it seems to be a recent usage. It may well settle in to the language, and then won't cause any raised eyebrows. To my ears, this new use at the moment sounds pretentious and pompous. I am probably not an early adopter...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_adopter

[jean]

Since curation is about tending, looking after, managing (it originally related to sickness)...

Actually, that seems to be one area it never applied to (unless you're talking about mental illness, sufferers from which needed some kind of legal guardian).

There was a time when curator was used interchangably with curate, for one who had a cure of souls:

1377 Piers Plowman B. xx. 279 For persones and parish prestes þat shulde þe peple shryue, Ben curatoures called to knowe and to hele, Alle þat ben her parisshiens.

[Bryn]

Actually, that seems to be one area it never applied to (unless you're talking about mental illness, sufferers from which needed some kind of legal guardian).

There was a time when curator was used interchangably with curate, for one who had a cure of souls:

1377 Piers Plowman B. xx. 279 For persones and parish prestes þat shulde þe peple shryue, Ben curatoures called to knowe and to hele, Alle þat ben her parisshiens.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=curation

[VodkaDilc]

Kick off, when applied to anything without a ball - e.g. 'the concert kicks off with The Hebrides Overture.'

Grow, when it's not connected with cabbages or hair - e.g. 'we are growing our business in Europe.'

[jean]

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=curation

The OED doesn't agree. Neither does Lewis and Short.

[Bryn]

The OED doesn't agree. Neither does Lewis and Short.

You clearly have a different edition of the OED to mine which gives the medical use as its primary origin. Bear in mind that the word I was referring to is "curation": "the action of curing; healing, cure".

[visualnickmos]

"On your head, be it" has to be one of my verbal bêtes noires

and worst, worst of all, the use of the word 'boast' as in, for example ".....the village boasts 4 pubs, and 3 restaurants"

[jean]

You clearly have a different edition of the OED to mine which gives the medical use as its primary origin. Bear in mind that the word I was referring to is "curation": "the action of curing; healing, cure".

I see; I thought we were still talking about curator, which does not seem to be used of a healer.

Latin curatio is always used of administration or management or legal guardianship rather than healing, though the verb curare sometimes has the modern sense cure.