LONESOME HIGHWAY
Re: Shawn Macomber’s Clark’s
Turn:
Mr. Macomber’s filings from NH have been beverage-spewing funny.
I especially liked his post about Clark’s ideas for a “smart”
highway. Unfortunately, the only thing Clark has in common with Mr.
Spock is pointy ears. And no, I’m not trying to ignite a Trekkie
debate.
— Andrew J. Macfadyen, M.D.
San Antonio, Texas
TONGUE TRIED (II)
Re: Reid Collins’s Friends,
Romans, Countrymen … and Reader Mail’s Language
Lessons:
I would add to Mr. Collins’s list of journalistic mess-ups the
phrase, “to hone in” on something. One can “home in” on something
(i.e., track it down), or “hone” something (sharpen it), but one
can’t “hone in” on anything. This seems to have cropped up in the
last year or two.
— Bob Fitzgibbon
Rome, New York
I disagree. To say “I Only Have Eyes For You,” to mean I alone have
eyes for you, would equally be allowed only by poetic license.
Better would be, “Only I have eyes for you.” When I tell my wife or
mistress, “I only have eyes for you,” she correctly takes my
meaning to be that my other bodily organs all are otherwise
engaged.
— John Cortens
Canada
If I may be so bold as to propose a few additions to Mr. Collins’s
“spot on” column: Co-conspirator; Someone taking part in a
conspiracy is a conspirator. What exactly is a co-conspirator? Do
the news anchors think that by adding an extra syllable they sound
more intelligent?
The “gate” suffix; We haven’t heard this offender in a little
while (Enrongate was especially galling) but it is only a matter of
time in an election year before we have Iraq-gate,
Halliburton-gate, or your-name-here-gate. What if the famous
hotel/apartment complex had merely been known as 2600 Virginia
Ave?
Irregardless; Overuse of a term does not make it correct,
people! My wife has made it clear she no longer wishes to be the
recipient of my verbal broadsides in defense of the English
language, so I am forced to hold my tongue. At least I know I’m not
the only one.
— Joel D
Grand Rapids, Michigan
I would like to contribute another item to Reid Collins’ litany of
the erosion of English: the apparently irreversible use of
“everyday” when basic grammar and common sense both call for “every
day.” The one-word form has an honorable and proper purpose as an
adjective meaning “common” or “ordinary,” but it is clearly
misplaced when the time phrase meaning “daily” is meant. Thanks to
the ad agencies of America for this one…
But let’s not let the barbarians advance much further (or is it
farther?)!
— Dave Williams
In regards to Ms. Evelyn Leinbach regrets over creating a monster
by teaching her husband that “loan” is a noun. There is no need for
her husband to yell at the television anymore; unfortunately there
never was. I regret to inform her that it is both a noun and verb.
M-w.com has an interesting account of the development of its use
and asserts, “Although a surprising number of critics still voice
objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb.”
— Tom Reynolds
Wharton, New Jersey
CONTRACT DOCTOR
Re: George Neumayr’s Dr. Dean and
Abortion:
Thank you for publishing the piece on the disgusting
abortion-loving Howard Dean. To paraphrase our former Surgeon
General, if only the Democrats could get over their love affair
with dead fetuses….
I hope Dean is aware of what committed forces will be arrayed
against him, should he continue to press his suit.
— Jessica O’Connor
Thank you for this article. I have been saying the same thing as
your article, but I have been doing it from memory. Planned
Parenthood says that at the time Dean was with them, they only
performed abortions at their Rutland clinic; however, I was active
in Right to Life at the time and we knew they did them also at the
Burlington clinic. Dean as a contract doctor to them would more
than likely have performed abortions even if he had to travel to
their Rutland clinic. Also, as part of his internship, he would
have performed abortions under a doctor’s direction at the
hospital. Dean is too pro-abortion not to have performed one,
period. Dean has built his entire political career on lies and
innuendo.
— Pete Chagnon
Re: Your hatchet job on Dean. I like abortion. And I love Howard
Dean! Though, as a left-winger myself, I consider him a moderate on
the American political spectrum. Also, I like the Northeastern
“elite” and consider myself a member of that esteemed group of
people who appreciate education and culture.
— B. Larrabee
P.S. Nice writing — you bible-types are really starting to
develop language skills.
SPANKIE AND THE GANG
Re: Lawrence Henry’s Things
Children (and Experts) Cannot Understand:
I just read Lawrence Henry’s piece on Dr. Straus’ survey and
found myself nodding throughout. Straus’ questioning using
“psychological aggression” with children under five reminded me of
a recent weekend with an old college friend whose children are
almost the identical ages as ours (8, 7 and 3). After three days of
seeing these “good” kids pull off stuff when their parent’s backs
were turned, and the incredibly difficult time they had getting
their kids to do something as simple as sit down and eat lunch,
we’ve had to duck the numerous invitations to get together since
then.
What really irked me was the incessant “Connor, if you don’t
stop XXX, we’re going to YYY” without the hint of follow through—
ever. I realized it was the kids who had the parents trained. It
got so bad I finally asked (taboo of course to question another
parent’s approach) my pal if he had ever spanked his kids. I got
some “we don’t believe in that” sort of response that Dr. Straus
would have been proud of.
I then revealed to him that I had—exactly once for each kid.
The point is that early on, my kids understood that they can push
me over the edge and there will be consequences. The threats from
that point on became more, “If you don’t stop XXX, you know I’m not
afraid of doing YYY.” I didn’t read it in a book, and I didn’t
realize at the time how important it was, but a little
“psychological aggression” goes a long way. Especially in Libya and
North Korea given how the children running those countries have
begun to conform!
— William H. Stewart
Boston, Massachusetts
PLEASANT THOUGHTS
Re: John Tabin’s Be Careful
What You Plead For:
Regarding wishing for a Democrat. If you ever worry about a Dean
presidency, take a little time and revisit his interviews with
Russert or any other Sunday pundit show and relax. He is so not
ready for prime time that my moderate wife rolled her eyes with
every one of his amateurish statements. He won’t stand the glare of
even a hundred watt light shining on his pronouncements once the
media reports on him in a true race with an opponent called
Bush.
— John Wilson
Chicago, Illinois
