Once upon a time, in 2010, my husband and I dreamt up an organization to encourage biblical literacy, called Quarterlife Ministries (which we’re not longer actively pursuing, btw). We bought the domain name “doesitjivewiththebible.com and put up a website.
Several years later, we completed a digital story….the working title was “The making of an Adventist” but at the very last second we changed it to “does it jive with the bible.” (See it here).
I knew that JIBE was the correct word,….because I’d looked it up… but I’d never in my life heard someone say “jibe.” It was always “jive”… Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard or said JIBE! That’s what I thought. So, I went with it… anchored by the Urban Dictionary’s 4th definition, I proceeded, full steam ahead…not giving it another thought.
Until Chris, my editor on the Proclamation! blog stopped a post that I had scheduled. He corrected my “jive” to “jibe”. I usually wouldn’t give this sort of correction a second thought…but I’d plastered “jive” everywhere… on the website, on the digital story, on the Facebook page, in my ebook Bible Study,… it was everywhere. I couldn’t just correct it on the Proclamation! blog! If this was an epic mistake, it would take an epic amount of work to make it right.
So before protesting to Chris,I sought a second opinion. I called Judy, a trusted, seasoned journalist who used to be my editor when I was a reporter 14 years ago. She has a keen sense of slang vs. correct usage. I trust her judgment and appropriate use of colloquialisms.
Certain that she would side with me, I explained to her my dilemma.
Judy: No, Delina. The correct word is “jibe.”
Me: But Judy, everyone says “jive.”
Judy: People say “irregardless” too…
Point made.
Case closed.
I repent.
New domain name purchased.
All corrections completed.
Done.
www.doesitjibewiththebible.com.