Many borrowed terms are so tightly integrated into everyday speech that native speakers use them without thinking about the true meaning. As specialized words or to accuse a loved one of inactivity and inability to make useful contacts. "Passive" - what is it? Perhaps your definition is inappropriate and even offensive in this situation, because it does not correspond to reality?
Latin roots
To understand, join the wisdom of the ancient peoples. The original passivus comes from pati, which means "endure" or "suffer". That is, the victim of any incident is a “passive” one, and it is not correct to condemn him. However, over time, the interpretation has changed somewhat and has ceased to be negative. What options are relevant in the 21st century?
Russian realities
Philologists identify four main transcripts that are now used more often than others:
- inactive – base value;
- rarely used - a special term;
- driven by someone else's actions;
- peculiar to liabilities - sectioneconomy.
Suffrage and trade balance will serve as good examples for the third and fourth definitions. Thus, an active right implies the ability to vote, and a right means to be elected. At the same time, the meaning of the word "passive" when summing up expenses and incomes indicates the predominance of imports over exports. When the state literally loses real money due to trade.
Possibility of application
At the household level, the word is very popular. The townsfolk use it to mark someone's inertia. For example, their colleagues, who, instead of trying to take a more profitable position with a high salary, prefer to sit and calmly shift papers in the office. These are passive workers whose chances of success are low. When applied to people, the term seems to speak of their unwillingness to develop.
Freud also did a lot of work in his studies of sexuality. Quite often, the definition allows, on a temporary or permanent basis, to assign roles to sexual partners. If one takes an active or dominant position, then the other only follows the desires of the lover. A similar situation develops in everyday relationships.
Relevance of naming
It is impossible to unequivocally say that "passive" is a positive or negative characteristic. Within the framework of any terminology, the word is absolutely neutral, and in interpersonal interaction it only indicates the conditional positions “boss-subordinate”. And this will not be a reproach, butnatural and voluntary distribution. Accusatory notes will only appear in a situation where you do not like that someone does nothing. But he probably just needs help, and then things will go faster?
