A Decade that Deserves some Editing

Posted on Dec 29, 2009 by Todd Dorman.

Sitting in church on Christmas Eve, my Lutheran ears noticed editing in the big story.

Gone were “swaddling clothes” and “come to pass” and “sore afraid,” among others. Those curious bits of literary antiquity had been traded for modern language. A baby is wrapped in “strips of cloth” now.

I’m sad to see them go.

And it made me think about our own additions to the language over this decade now ending. What should we keep and what should we delete?

Quite frankly, and I think “quite frankly” would be a good place to start deleting, future lexicographers may LOL at the “aughts.” One word I would keep as emblematic of the past 10 years would be Stephen Colbert’s brilliant “truthiness.” After a decade in which so many things we thought were true turned out to be flimflam, and when shows like “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show” delivered more truth at times than the real news, I think “truthiness” sums it up nicely. It was the truthiness era.

Beyond that, I’m less impressed.

I’m afraid few of us will ever feel much “shock and awe” again as we send troops into harm’s way. I’ve lost my urge to keep using “surge,” and I hope we no longer get our “cakewalks” mixed up with our “quagmires.” I’d also like to discharge anything of “mass destruction” and let “waterboarding” sink. “Bring it on?” Take it away.

Politicians, business types and others need to halt serial verbination — no more “efforting,” “incenting” or “dialoguing” anything or anyone.

Stop changing games and shifting paradigms. And “at the end of the day,” I hope we reach a “tipping point” that makes us rethink using either again.

“Hanging chad,” “axis of evil” and “heckuva job” are already on the scrap heap. I hope all the “czars” are on their way, along with all variations of “Cash for Clunkers.” I liked reviving old labels of malfeasance like “ponzi” and “banksters.” But I’m glad “depression” didn’t join them. And “stimulus” makes me sleepy.

You say you live in the “Real America?” I say “You Lie!” That primal Howard Dean scream still makes me snort. And tweet on, Sen. Chuck Grassley. You’re no NAIL.

I’m indifferent to “meh” and “whatever.” And T-Do would like an immediate halt to all A-Rodding of names. That goes double for Bennifer, Brangelina and TomKat.

“Bling” blessedly “jumped the shark,” and both were drowned by an insidious “perfect storm.” And this “locavore” can no longer swallow “foodie.” In the next decade I’d also like to avoid using “flood.” Just the thought makes me sore afraid.

Please, make your own nominations.