Okay, probably this one word seems to be the most confusing of the group of words that my friend tried to enlighten. So I go by his style.
Main entry – commit
Part of speech – verb
Definition – to perform an action
Synonyms - accomplish, achieve, act
Main entry- Commitment
Part of speech- noun
Definition – assurance, obligation
Synonyms - charge, duty, engagement, guarantee, liability, must, need, ought, pledge, promise, responsibility, undertaking, vow, word
Sentence usage - Personal commitment is an assuring interaction dominated by obligations. These obligations may be mutual, or self-imposed, or explicitly stated, or may not.
Something which literally means to show loyalty, duty or pledge to something or someone, should not have had so many synonyms. Ah well, isn’t this is the most important thing in a relationship after love and trust. So how can such an important factor ‘commitment’ be related to the words ‘duty’, ‘liability’, ‘need’, ‘promise’, ‘responsibility’, ‘vow’, et cetera.
Well all these words can be found athttp://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/commitment I rather not listen to what my heart says. I had to refer to the website for the ‘actual’ meaning. Not what pipette feels or burette (our aliases) feels. This word is something which we all perceive differently.
Now the synonyms say a lot about the word itself. A few feel it is my ‘responsibility’ to be true to my partner. A few feel ‘I need to’ be with my partner. These are but self-imposed. By the time, people start knowing each other inside out, the commitment which was duty and need generally becomes a duty and a function of need. Well haven’t we all said this “If need be I can do this and that”. How is it that when we start off a relationship that we feel much more secure than what we are after a little time into the relationship? Maybe the fact that we have to work on it is the factor. Nothing comes easy.
If commitment actually had all of the above synonyms, did we ever stop for a second before asking for a commitment? Or did we also think, commitment will come with time, depending on the way the relationship holds on? Is that a function of need? Why do we end a relationship if it’s not bad? People change over time. But more than the people themselves, their needs change. And the mathematical function goes awry. Those who hold on, get through. Those who don’t, they had the wrong formulae all this while.
All of us reading this probably know the words, but haven’t ever tried to link these. So just thought of doing that, as referred to the word ‘commitment’.
Charge = burden
Duty = responsibility
Responsibility = accountability (Accountability = blameworthiness)
Engagement = pledge to marry (Guarantee = pledge)
Liability = responsibility
Must = necessity
Need = want, requirement
Now, is that what commitment actually means to us? Why couldn’t commitment have a synonym ‘trust’? Probably the two can never come together.
Main entry – Trust
Part of speech- noun
Definition – believe in something as true, trustworthy
Synonyms - assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, credence, credit, dependence, entrustment, expectation, faith, gospel truth, hope, reliance
I am confused. Some define ‘commitment’ as the base of their relationships. No wonder, so many fail. Stark contrast between the noun and the verb! Really don’t know what to define ‘commitment’ as? Maybe some day, I would be ready to commit when I feel commitment is just trust. What about you?
