from abcnews.com:
Here are some words and phrases that have created tensions or taken on new meanings since the events of Sept. 11.
Crusade ? President Bush's use of this word last month was described as clumsy because it has religious roots referring to the first European Christian effort to recover the Holy Land from the followers of Mohammed in the 11th century. The Bush administration is no longer using the term and its general use may also become more limited.
Enemy, Evil ? Both Osama bin Laden and President Bush have used these terms to describe each others' forces. Some fear such absolute terms could prevent the possibility of peaceful resolution. "Absolutism makes it difficult to see ourselves in anything but the most glowing light and erases any chance for seeing them as having any case at all," said Robin Tolmach Lakoff, a linguist at the University of California at Berkeley.
Dead or Alive, Smoke Them Out ? President Bush used this Western-inspired terminology last month to describe U.S. efforts to capture bin Laden and other terrorists. David Snead, a diplomacy expert at Texas Tech University, thinks the terms were effective because they were common phrases that most Americans could immediately understand. But Fields of Washington University argues using this kind of language likely did more harm than good because to the international audience, they likely "seemed ill-considered, if not arrogant."
Infinite Justice ? In keeping with a tradition of naming military operations with overarching words or phrases, Pentagon officials first floated this term to name the U.S. efforts against terrorism. It was quickly rejected, however, when religious leaders pointed out that eternal retribution is the prerogative only of God ? and that use of the phrase in the context of an earthly military campaign could easily offend religious Muslims.
Retaliate ? President Bush reportedly chose not to use this word when referring to any action the United States would take in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, fearing it might incite terrorists to retaliate as well.
Survivor ? Recently used in a Destiny's Child pop song, as well as to name a well-known reality TV show. Linguists argue these old usages now pale when compared to how the word has been used recently. "A survivor now means something more like a person who made it out of the 83rd floor of a World Trade Center tower," said Nunberg. "Every other use now seems trivializing." Commentators have made similar observations about other titles, like "Fear Factor."
War ? Two days after the attacks President Bush labeled this conflict as "the first war of the 21st century," but since then Bush administration leaders have been struggling to define what they mean when they say "a war like no other war." One phrase that Lakoff has favored is one used by Secretary Rumsfeld when he described the situation as a "sort-of war." "It's a good description," she said. "We don't have a name for it. It's possible a name will come, but until then it makes sense to make clear that it doesn't fit into any category."
Fields argues the word war has lost its meaning over the years. "The word war would generate a certain anxiety," he said. "But we've used it to refer to the 'War on Poverty,' the 'War on Drugs' so the word itself has lost some of its potency."
Terrorist ? Coined more than 200 years ago in France, this term has referred to the use of force or violence to further political or social objectives. While President Bush has described the terrorists as "despicable," a terrorist is described as a freedom fighter by some terrorist networks. Reuters News Agency has refrained from using the term due to conflicting interpretations. In the United States, the term has taken on broader meaning when incorporating less violent acts such as cyber terrorism or even artistic terrorism. Nunberg argues now those usages seem inappropriate.
A U.N. Security Resolution passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks is careful in its opening words to cite "international terrorism" but never explicitly defines the "terrorist acts" it repeatedly condemns.
Cowardly ? President Bush promised on Sept. 11 that the "United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts." The term came under fire when TV's Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher challenged the use of the word to describe the terrorists saying: "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That's cowardly." White House press secretary Ari Fleischer criticized Maher's comments, two major advertisers pulled their ads from Politically Incorrect and some ABC affiliates temporarily removed the show from their schedules.
Hero ? Basketball legend Michael Jordan has been described many times as a hero, as have some pop icons. But now, some argue that word has taken on a more profound meaning when referring to the firefighters, rescue workers and police officers who have helped save victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and, in many cases, lost their lives doing so. It has also been used to describe the profound actions that passengers on board Flight 93 apparently took to prevent hijackers from crashing their plane into a target, possibly in Washington, D.C.
Enduring Freedom ? Many linguists are unhappy with the term the White House and Pentagon have selected for the U.S.-led effort to eradicate terrorism. "It's vague," said Lakoff. "It could mean freedom that endures or it could mean the act of tolerating freedom."
Homeland Security ? This is the name that the Bush administration chose to describe the new office charged with preventing terrorist attacks in the United States. Many linguists are uncomfortable with the word choice of homeland since it's a term that was commonly used by Nazi Germany and because it suggests the notion of home is tied to the physical land of the United States rather than its political framework.
Attacks, Tragedy ? For many, these terms have fallen flat when trying to describe the events that occurred on Sept. 11. Instead, many speakers and writers have simply begun using the date of the events as an adjective when referring to the attacks. "Tragedy is a word we've used to describe things like car accidents," said Nunberg. "These events defy description so the only way people can refer to it is by naming the date, itself."
Here are some words and phrases that have created tensions or taken on new meanings since the events of Sept. 11.
Crusade ? President Bush's use of this word last month was described as clumsy because it has religious roots referring to the first European Christian effort to recover the Holy Land from the followers of Mohammed in the 11th century. The Bush administration is no longer using the term and its general use may also become more limited.
Enemy, Evil ? Both Osama bin Laden and President Bush have used these terms to describe each others' forces. Some fear such absolute terms could prevent the possibility of peaceful resolution. "Absolutism makes it difficult to see ourselves in anything but the most glowing light and erases any chance for seeing them as having any case at all," said Robin Tolmach Lakoff, a linguist at the University of California at Berkeley.
Dead or Alive, Smoke Them Out ? President Bush used this Western-inspired terminology last month to describe U.S. efforts to capture bin Laden and other terrorists. David Snead, a diplomacy expert at Texas Tech University, thinks the terms were effective because they were common phrases that most Americans could immediately understand. But Fields of Washington University argues using this kind of language likely did more harm than good because to the international audience, they likely "seemed ill-considered, if not arrogant."
Infinite Justice ? In keeping with a tradition of naming military operations with overarching words or phrases, Pentagon officials first floated this term to name the U.S. efforts against terrorism. It was quickly rejected, however, when religious leaders pointed out that eternal retribution is the prerogative only of God ? and that use of the phrase in the context of an earthly military campaign could easily offend religious Muslims.
Retaliate ? President Bush reportedly chose not to use this word when referring to any action the United States would take in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, fearing it might incite terrorists to retaliate as well.
Survivor ? Recently used in a Destiny's Child pop song, as well as to name a well-known reality TV show. Linguists argue these old usages now pale when compared to how the word has been used recently. "A survivor now means something more like a person who made it out of the 83rd floor of a World Trade Center tower," said Nunberg. "Every other use now seems trivializing." Commentators have made similar observations about other titles, like "Fear Factor."
War ? Two days after the attacks President Bush labeled this conflict as "the first war of the 21st century," but since then Bush administration leaders have been struggling to define what they mean when they say "a war like no other war." One phrase that Lakoff has favored is one used by Secretary Rumsfeld when he described the situation as a "sort-of war." "It's a good description," she said. "We don't have a name for it. It's possible a name will come, but until then it makes sense to make clear that it doesn't fit into any category."
Fields argues the word war has lost its meaning over the years. "The word war would generate a certain anxiety," he said. "But we've used it to refer to the 'War on Poverty,' the 'War on Drugs' so the word itself has lost some of its potency."
Terrorist ? Coined more than 200 years ago in France, this term has referred to the use of force or violence to further political or social objectives. While President Bush has described the terrorists as "despicable," a terrorist is described as a freedom fighter by some terrorist networks. Reuters News Agency has refrained from using the term due to conflicting interpretations. In the United States, the term has taken on broader meaning when incorporating less violent acts such as cyber terrorism or even artistic terrorism. Nunberg argues now those usages seem inappropriate.
A U.N. Security Resolution passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks is careful in its opening words to cite "international terrorism" but never explicitly defines the "terrorist acts" it repeatedly condemns.
Cowardly ? President Bush promised on Sept. 11 that the "United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts." The term came under fire when TV's Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher challenged the use of the word to describe the terrorists saying: "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That's cowardly." White House press secretary Ari Fleischer criticized Maher's comments, two major advertisers pulled their ads from Politically Incorrect and some ABC affiliates temporarily removed the show from their schedules.
Hero ? Basketball legend Michael Jordan has been described many times as a hero, as have some pop icons. But now, some argue that word has taken on a more profound meaning when referring to the firefighters, rescue workers and police officers who have helped save victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and, in many cases, lost their lives doing so. It has also been used to describe the profound actions that passengers on board Flight 93 apparently took to prevent hijackers from crashing their plane into a target, possibly in Washington, D.C.
Enduring Freedom ? Many linguists are unhappy with the term the White House and Pentagon have selected for the U.S.-led effort to eradicate terrorism. "It's vague," said Lakoff. "It could mean freedom that endures or it could mean the act of tolerating freedom."
Homeland Security ? This is the name that the Bush administration chose to describe the new office charged with preventing terrorist attacks in the United States. Many linguists are uncomfortable with the word choice of homeland since it's a term that was commonly used by Nazi Germany and because it suggests the notion of home is tied to the physical land of the United States rather than its political framework.
Attacks, Tragedy ? For many, these terms have fallen flat when trying to describe the events that occurred on Sept. 11. Instead, many speakers and writers have simply begun using the date of the events as an adjective when referring to the attacks. "Tragedy is a word we've used to describe things like car accidents," said Nunberg. "These events defy description so the only way people can refer to it is by naming the date, itself."
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