Category: Language Matters
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On Strictu Dictu and Holus Bolus
Dubious Latin questioned over at Substack.
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On ‘Over-Represent’
A big Stack attack on language abuse and wokeassery. The importance of language and the injustice of 'equity.'
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On the Gender-Neutral Use of ‘Man’
Top o' the Stack. Roger Donway writes, As I understand it, there are no "gender-neutral" nouns or pronouns in English. There is the masculine gender, the feminine gender, the neuter gender, and the common gender. The last applies to entities which have sex, but in contexts where both sexes are included or the sex is…
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Journalistic Bias
A spectacularly clear example: WASHINGTON (AP) — The downfall of Harvard’s president has elevated the threat of unearthing plagiarism, a cardinal sin in academia, as a possible new weapon in conservative attacks on higher education. Exercise for the reader: explain the bias.
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Gun Semantics
Under 14 minutes, by Massad Ayoob, one of the best. Words mean things, especially in a court of law. Precise, penetrating, and practical. As civil society collapses around us, and more and more of us must look to our own physical defense, you must also know how to avoid verbal entrapment by the prosecutorial shysters…
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Word of the Day: ‘Phatic’
phatic /făt′ĭk/ adjective Of or relating to communication used to perform a social function rather than to convey information or ideas. Pertaining to words used to convey any kind of social relationship e.g polite mood, rather than meaning; for example, "How are you?" is often not a literal question but is said only as a…
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On ‘Reaching Out’ and ‘Educate’
Stack leader. The image of Jeff Dunham’s “Walter” warns that a language rant is up ahead! All language lemmings to their safe spaces.
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The Meaning of ‘Asshole’
A Substack quickie. 'Woke' squeamishness exposed.
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Current Lingo: ‘Yabut’
Yabut strikes me as a close cousin to Whataboutism. "Yeah, but . . . ."
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Wolff on Israel
Robert Paul Wolff, 30 October 2023: I have found the series of comments on the Israeli situation interesting and helpful. I have not responded to them because I am so upset by what is happening that I can barely watch the news reports of it anymore. Let me make one small observation. There has been…
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Allyship?
Explained here. Is this a parody? Word found here: “I started to see these intelligent, educated people, whose mission is to make our system better for people of color, suddenly posting all this anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian stuff,” Rose said. “I’m not changing my values, but screw the allyship. I will not stop fighting, because I believe…
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Mike Pence ‘Suspends’ his Campaign
Here: "I came here to say it’s become clear to me this is not my time. So after much deliberation I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today," he said onstage. " It'll never be your time, pal. You're a superannuated relic of a time long gone. Good riddance. Your use of…
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‘Islamophobia’ and ‘Hoplophobia’
A very polite Substack chiding of the stupid and often vicious use of these terms. My entry shows how to make a point rationally and stylishly without any use of invective and only the slightest trace of sarcasm. You have to cultivate the ability to write in a civil and respectful way. But you must…
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Inconsistent even in their Misuse of Language
Leftists cannot even be consistent in their misuse of language. If the January 6th trespassers are insurrectionists, then so are the Hamas supporters who flooded the Cannon rotunda in the Capitol complex. True, many were arrested. But will they be treated the same as the Jan-sixers? I wouldn't bet on it.
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Rod Dreher Talks Sense
Here: In America, when you hear media figures and politicians gassing on about “threats to democracy,” you should be aware that what they really might mean is “threats to a system that favors current elites and their prejudices, against the common good.” And this despite Dreher's to-me-incomprehensible case of TDS. Delete the might and Dreher's point is…