Is it a journal, diary, or log(ue) ?

Published by Duncan in the blog Duncan's Blog. Views: 20

I've chosen some of the definitions that fit my needs for this entry

Journal

a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use, a record of current transactions especially a book of original entry in double-entry bookkeeping,

an account of day-to-day events.


Diary
a record of events, transactions, or observations kept daily or at frequent intervals, especially a daily record of personal activities, reflections, or feelings.


Log(ue)
the record of the rate of a ship's speed or of her daily progress also the full nautical record of a ship's voyage,

the full record of a flight by an aircraft,

a record of performance, events, or day-to-day activities.

I call mine a journal. Journal sounds more grown up. I don't refer transaction registers of my checking accounts as journals. Actually, I'm not sure what I call them. I think when I go to the bank or credit union, I hold up the one I am using and just ask, "Do you have any of these?"

Here's something strange. While the Latin root of the etymologies are the same, Webster's seems to be a bit different with its explanation.

From Merriam-Webster:
Etymology
Latin diarium, from dies day — more at deity

from Dictionary dot com
Origin of diary
1575–85; < Latin diarium daily allowance, journal, equivalent to di (es ) day + -arium -ary

Collins
L diarium, daily allowance (of food or pay); hence, record of this < dies, day: see deity

Etymonline [this one rocks!]
diary (n)

1580s, "an account of daily events, a journal kept by one person of his or her experiences and observations," from Latin diarium "daily allowance," later "a journal," neuter of diarius "daily," from dies "day" (from PIE root dyeu- "to shine," in derivatives "sky, heaven, god"); also see -ary.

Sense of "a book with blank leaves or dated pages meant for keeping a daily record of events" is from c. 1600. Related: Diarial; diarian.

I usually keep one on-hand. I used to record daily events. These days the events of the day are usually obliterated because they are too depressing to think about or write about. In January there were fires nearby; my home was untouched. By that I mean, the flames did not hit my immediate neighborhood (the damage ended about 5 miles from here). I didn't lose electricity, cable, water, gas, or Internet. The roads that lead to my job were unobstructed. Only the air was laden with ash. My car was two steps from my back door and it is fully air conditioned. I parked in an underground lot at work. And I work in a windowless office that is also air conditioned.

As far as the rest of the world... I add Ukraine and Israel to my Sabbath prayers. I ask for personal protection against the stupid and ignorant actions of people around me who keep fascism alive in my own country. I stand for the rights of the nations I cherish, but I also recognize that there are times when we see misguided people in power who lead these nations into ruin.

What else do I journalize. There are the emotions; anger at bad service or misleading sales tactics at a store, bad behavior of people who don't clean up after their dogs, the joy of seeing a happy child (without making my joy appear to be too creepy to others).

And then there are the obvious omissions. I think about my daily prejudices and biases and opinions that I generally keep to myself. These are usually provincial mindsets such as seeing excessive tattoos, hearing foul language (potty mouth) in public, or being hit up for money. I don't even think about the day-to-day nuisance calls for someone who wants to fix up my home, buy my home, or work on my lawn even though I have no such home.
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