relevant:
a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.
b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion ...
I think in general my position on the shifting of language is that at its best, it's pretty cool the way words migrates, and at worst, its more like a venial sin than a mortal one. I might get irritated when a noun has morphed into a verb overnight, but I don't mind it all that much. But there is one arena where we all ought to be a little less lazy and a little more vigilant, and that's when words creep into other meanings when used by the powerful. Ezra Klein's recent segment on Rachel Maddow talks about how a secret government court has rewritten law so that the word "relevant" applies to, well, pretty much everything:
a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.
b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion ...
I think in general my position on the shifting of language is that at its best, it's pretty cool the way words migrates, and at worst, its more like a venial sin than a mortal one. I might get irritated when a noun has morphed into a verb overnight, but I don't mind it all that much. But there is one arena where we all ought to be a little less lazy and a little more vigilant, and that's when words creep into other meanings when used by the powerful. Ezra Klein's recent segment on Rachel Maddow talks about how a secret government court has rewritten law so that the word "relevant" applies to, well, pretty much everything:
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Posts
Oh, my! I can see all my government teachers rolling in their graves or stamping their feet in frustration -- Lila Couch, Forrest Stith, Mike Troester, Harold DeVries, June Williams, Ken Rippe, Mike McGowan.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could do a blog post or two on some of these folks, Collagemama.
ReplyDeleteSeana, I suspect you are enjoying reading Alan Glynn.
ReplyDeleteI am indeed. But I knew I would, as I've already read two of his books. His ESL teaching has stood him in good stead.
ReplyDeleteOh, Seana, just read Kathleen's blog about the passing of Mike Dobbins. The world is so small sometimes. Dobbins taught drama on the same staff with the teachers listed above.
ReplyDeleteI saw Kathleen's post too, but uncharacteristically didn't know quite what to say. I have been lucky all my life in my teachers, so I do understand what impact this has.
ReplyDeleteTonight I excised "reached out to" from a story at work. I don't think Glynn hsa invoked that expression, but I would not put it past him to do so in a future book.
ReplyDeleteHis novels ought to fascinate and perhaps horrify anyone, but I like to think I get a bit extra out of it because of his thoughts on my profession, especially in Graveland.