Only to the extent that all words are meaningless. However, we keep a reference known as a dictionary that helps maintain some consistency around meanings of words.

The Oxford Dictionary defines engineer as:

1. A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures.

2. A person who controls an engine, especially on an aircraft or ship.

3. A skilful contriver or originator of something.

Is software an engine, machine, or structure? That is debatable, although I would suggest that it does meet the definition of machine. Under that suggestion, software engineer is a perfectly appropriate term. Designing, building, and maintaining is exactly what software engineers do.

If you disagree that software falls under the definition of engine, there is still that third definition. Is software created by a skilful contriver or originator of something? I think that is a definite yes.

> There has to be some standard, some governing body, some degree of rigour applied here.

Professional engineers are expected to display those things. That is unrelated to engineers. Different terms with different meanings. Software engineers may not be professional engineers, although they can be.

So we should call car mechanics "mechanical engineers"? And maintaining structures? With all due respect to the janitors out there, their job is vital to society but it's not engineering.

By definition, I don't see why not. I suspect the spirit of maintain may be a little more nuanced, but words are fluid and if someone wants to interpret it that way, then it is so.

> With all due respect to the janitors out there, their job is vital to society but it's not engineering.

If by janitor you are thinking of someone who sweeps the floors, I think that is well beyond the spirit of maintain. That, to me, is cleaning.

Maintenance of a structure is more like addressing a beam that is cracking. I doubt that is a role that an average janitor deals with, and in many cases will legally require a professional engineer to spec the resolution.

But words are fluid, so if you interpret a janitor as someone who maintains a structure, then I guess engineer fits. It really makes no difference either way.