So the newest James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, is currently breaking records in theatres. And I'm bothered.This time, however, I am not bothered by Bond's sexism, misogyny, or by any of the other old complaints (legitimate though some of them may be) that are trotted out whenever 007 reappears on screens.
Rather, I am bothered by the folks who claim to be flummoxed by the film's title. "What does it mean?" they seem to ask. "What the hell is a quantum?" I've heard people wonder if 'quantum' is even a word.
Well, yes, folks - it is. The word 'quantum' is officially part of the English language.
Now call me a grumpy former English teacher, but I know what 'quantum' means. I know it's a word. And the title, Quantum of Solace, makes perfect sense to me. It would even if I did not know that it referred to the events of Bond's last venture, Casino Royale.
I don't know why this kind of linguistic complaint bothers me so much; perhaps it annoys me simply because it indicates to me that our communal vocabulary (and our desire to learn) has really slipped.
Now, for the sake of the record, and courtesy of Dictionary.com:
Quantum:
–noun
1. quantity or amount: the least quantum of evidence.
2. a particular amount.
3. a share or portion.
4. a large quantity; bulk.
5. Physics. a. the smallest quantity of radiant energy, equal to Planck's constant times the frequency of the associated radiation.
b. the fundamental unit of a quantized physical magnitude, as angular momentum.
–adjective
6. sudden and significant: a quantum increase in productivity.
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