Word Abuse

I'm not sure what to call this: a pet peeve, perhaps? It's not merely political correctness, although that's often part of the picture. It's not as simple as the misuse of words or phrases, although sometimes that's what it amounts to. It's not necessarily a deliberate ploy to undermine or soften a situation, or skirt an issue--except in politics, and then ... yes, there's that. Let's just say that it is a pet peeve and lump it all under the same umbrella for now. 

The "it" I'm referring to appears frequently in the media, often initiated by politics or politicians, and sometimes by a kind of laziness or outright bias on the part of commentators and journalists. I'm referring to the annoying substitution and changes of perfectly legitimate words and phrases by others that seem, well ... inappropriate or meaningless or downright silly.

For example: the former "global war on terror" has recently ended, replaced by an "overseas contingency operation." Catchy, isn't it? 

And then there's "investing" instead of "spending." And "terrorism" has become "man-caused disasters." "Enemy combatants" are no more: they're now "persons whom the President has the right to detain." Look for that one in the next update of your favorite dictionary.  

We hear a lot these days about "bailouts," but more often they're just another part of the "stimulus plan." (Personally, I think "porkulus plan" says it all.) 

Substituting an "unfortunate error" or "bad decision" is the new standard for sin. Politicians are especially fond of this one. But remember when sin was just ... sin?

We don't clean up our act any longer. We "move forward."

And I know this is trivial--so trivial I'm not even sure why it annoys me, but when a classy-looking, supposedly well-educated news reporter refers to police officers as "cops" or children as "kids" and a collective group of men and women as "guys" or an object of some particular interest as "this puppy," I get a strong urge to call out the slang police.  

I know, I know--there's no hill to die on in any of this, but I said it was a pet peeve, didn't I?

I'll warrant you have a few of your own, right?

BJ

      

Comments

[Jennifer Hudson Taylor]

Excellent post - and it's right on! I share some of the same pet peeves. I'm not very good at what is politically correct.

[Lynda in MO]

Thank you for this, B.J. I share many of your concerns about the deterioration of our language. You struck a chord with me in your frustration over the way no one talks of sin anymore. I recently came across this excellent observation on the subject:

"It says something about our times that we rarely use the word 'sinful' except to describe a really good dessert" (Willard D. Ferrell).

The English language is always in a state of change, but some words ought never to be revised!