If you have someone in your life that rants and raves, it is hard to know what to do. It may be a friend, family member or co-worker. They can be so passionate about something that they get off on it. They often have no filter on their language and will go into a long tirade on the topic of their choice. It can be very painful for the people that hear them and for the person who is ranting and raving.
Generally speaking, a rant is a speech or composition that does not make sense or follow logically. You may have heard a rant on the radio or a blog comment. The word rant comes from the Dutch ranten, which means to talk nonsense. The phrase rant and rave, which is now a common saying, first appeared in the English language in 1926.
Rave is similar to rant in that it can mean to expound loudly on a single topic but can also be erratic and incoherent. The term rave may also be used as a noun, referring to an enthusiastic and wildly favorable review.
If you have a friend or family member that rants and raves, you may try to help them by offering support, advice or compassion. However, it is important to remember that they are in charge of their ranting and raving. You can’t change them but you can decide how to react. It is best to decrease your expectations so that you don’t become a victim of their negativity.
