I have watched parts of the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the last two years. While I admire the young people who compete, I see many problems with the format and assumptions behind this contest. (more…)
Recently, Sarah Palin mixed the words “repudiate” and “refute” to create the neologism “refudiate.” While I am impressed by people who use polysyllabic words correctly, I doubt that anyone is impressed by individuals who try to sound educated by using long Latinate-sounding words that do not exist.
I am a linguist as well as a writer, so I know that language is always changing and that new words arise frequently. However, many of the new words are short and sweet, such as “blog.” When people use a new word like “blog,” they are not trying to sound brilliant or hyper-educated. Rather, they are expressing their familiarity with the new media, which is a useful skill. (more…)