Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Word Games

   What's the penalty for advertisers who tout an "authentic reproduction"? Or for those who claim their food product has "real ingredients"?
   The first reaction is that there are such things as reproductions that are not authentic, or ingredients that are somehow false.

   The latest buzzword calling for "fiscal responsibility" is often a synonym for "skinflint," or those who demand austerity for others, but not for themselves.

   Punishment for a wayward liberal: A 24/7 continuous loop of Rush Limbaugh diatribes.

   Why did a home-made bomb become an "improvised explosive device"? And what is an "enemy combatant" if not a soldier for the opposition? Answer: To imply that the other side does not deserve the hint of legitimacy that the traditional terms have. For that matter, no one ever did explain what is a "weapon of mass destruction." But it sounds more dangerous than guns and bombs.

   Political types "engage in dialogue" rather than talk. It sounds so much more sophisticated.

No comments:

Post a Comment