What’s Wrong with Bad

Many non-native speakers have said that English is by far the hardest language to learn. It’s not sentence structure or other formatting nuances that confuse people. It’s all the various ways the same word is used. The word “bad” is a perfect example. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, bad means poor, unfavorable, spoiled, or dilapidated. This would be a simple word to learn if it was used as described in the dictionary, but is it? Oh, hell no!

If you have ever listened to a car guy or gal describe a particular vehicle, they might say, “That’s one bad ride.” That description might make the uninformed think of a 1995 Toyota Corolla or Ford Maverick. Something with faded paint, a cracked windshield, torn interior, bald tires, and too many dents to count. Of course, that’s not what they’re saying at all. What’s really being described is the latest iteration of the Corvette, or maybe a Ferrari, Lamborghini, modified street rod, or classic car. Definitely, not a broken-down wreck that won’t make it to the grocery store and back.

Okay, maybe using the word bad to describe something good when it comes to cars is an anomaly. Of course, we all know that’s just not the case. Next, let’s look at some popular songs. George Thorogood rocketed to fame by telling everyone he was “Bad to the Bone.” Then there was Michael Jackson, telling the world, “I’m Bad, I’m Bad,” and his fans couldn’t seem to get enough. Of course, we can’t forget “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” by Jim Croce, “Bad Boys,” by Inner Circle, and last but not least, “Big Bad John,” by Johnny Cash. At least in the music business, bad is very good indeed.

I guess in the worlds of music and cars, bad is normally good, but not so when dealing with people, right? The lines seem to blur here as well. How often have you heard someone admiringly described as one bad dude? There are some women who find the stereotypical bad boy irresistible. Many ladies take two or three attempts before figuring out that some personalities can’t be changed. Men never figure it out.

There are actions that fit the textbook definition of bad, with murder being top of the list. Everyone will agree that killing is bad unless there is a war. During wars, the best killers on the winning side receive medals for their skill. If you’re on the losing side, anonymity is your best hope for survival. Stealing is also bad, but not so much in literature. Many best-sellers are crafted around the exploits of a clever thief. The Saint and The Italian Job are two that come to mind. Robin Hood is in a class all by itself.

People trying to learn this language must be constantly confused by our double-meaning words. Cool or, as some prefer, Kool is another confusing word. A person may be perceived as being cool, meaning standoffish or snobby. However, if you call someone a cool dude, or a cool character, it’s a compliment. I guess it’s okay to be cool, just not cold. On the other hand, hot is hot no matter what.

I could go on and on using word juxtaposition to show how difficult it is to fully grasp all the nuances of a single word, but that would be overkill. There are so many words with double meanings they would fill a book. I won’t even get into words that sound the same but are spelled differently with completely different meanings. The words there, their, and they're are perfect examples. Bottom line, what’s wrong with bad, anyway?