THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: It may be a secret who holds the real power

By Barbara McAllister

Word of the Day: Secretary

On a typical day, a secretary may type letters, answer the phone, greet people, handle payroll and order supplies. They may also un-jam the copier, water plants, call the repairman, give directions, find lost items, provide band-aids, make coffee and catch spiders. At least where I work. Today it is more customary to call a secretary an administrative assistant, to reflect the many tasks they do, but secretary was once considered an elite title. The word comes from the Latin root secretus, for secret. Secretaries were the keepers of secrets.
They were originally a prized group of individuals who had the ability to read and write in a time when it was an uncommon talent. Because they handled all correspondence, they had access to the inner workings of the upper classes. Secretaries were valuable commodities who had the ear and confidence of nobles, kings and popes. They were the literal power behind the throne.
Eventually secretary became a title that acknowledged that they had governmental authority. Today, powerful cabinet positions in the U.S. reflect this title, as in the secretary of state, secretary of defense and treasury secretary. Traditionally secretaries were men, and they continued to dominate the field until World War II created a labor shortage that left women to fill the void.
Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as Secretaries Day, was at the end of April, but it’s not too late to remember those around you who control the real power.