Language matters to me, a lot. And because language matters to me, I'm sensitive to misuse. In a way this is ideal, because I'm an editor. When I read things aloud, the errors practically jump at me from the page. Don't misunderstand, I'm not claiming perfection: into every editor's life, some typos must fall. I'm just trying to convey how attuned to language I am.
And sometimes I wish I wasn't, because listening to the news, or reading the newspaper can be painful.
My current pet peeve is the now common usage of the word "troop" as a synonym for "soldier". A "troop" is a group of soldiers. It's like saying six pack is another word for beer. Think about it. Having 2-3 beers is a fun night out, having 2-3 six packs is a drinking problem.
So when I hear reporters (who should know better) say we're sending 50,000 troops to Afghanistan, I want to throw things at the television. This is counterproductive and just raises the blood pressure. I'm going to try and be more like Stephen Fry, who I think has the right idea.
Thank you, THANK YOU. So glad I'm not the only one that the misuse of the word "troop" drives nuts. I also can't stand it when people use "you're a trooper" rather than the correct "you're a trouper."
ReplyDeleteSigh.
Another annoyance: The misuse of the word "decimate."
I could go on...
I'm so with you. And when did the h in "history" become silent? I've heard more newscasters talk about "an 'istoric occasion". It's like they've all become selectively cockney.
DeleteDeep breath. Let it go.