The Beauty of Our Language

Columns

January 26, 2009

Opinion

By BILL MARDIS, CJ Editor Emeritus The Commonwealth Journal Mon Jan 26, 2009, 08:27 AM EST

“What in the world is that?”

A visitor to the the Commonwealth Journal’s newsroom was laughing at a dog-eared Webster’s Third New International Dictionary lying on an editor’s desk. “Everything in that is on the Internet,” he added.

We beg to differ with our visiting friend. Uncle Noah (Webster) was an awfully smart man ... and he never used the Internet.

The comments got us to thinking. Why would a ragged old dictionary be such a treasured keepsake in the newsroom?

The reason we hang onto this unabridged masterpiece is that it contains all the words, except some newly coined utterances, in the most beautiful language in the world –– the English language.

Who could toss away such wisdom? How could you trash such a treasure?

Using words, a skillful writer can bridge a wide scale of emotions. A well-written article can make you happy; or bring tears to your eyes; or make you angry; or spur you to strive to be your best.

Ah, the power of the printed word! It has made more changes in our world that the Industrial Revolution; or space flight; even the Internet.

Of course, some of you are thinking if you people at the newspaper so value the English language, why do you make so many grammatical errors?

We do. We admit our shortcomings. Grammatical errors are a hazard of the journalistic profession. Newspaper copy is rushed by daily deadlines and many small newspapers simply don’t have professional proofreaders on staff.

Most reporter and editors have a working knowledge of English and we often see our mistakes after we go to press. Nothing can make a dedicated journalist more unhappy that to butcher the English language. My guess is that we worry more about it than our readers.

All of us in this business hold Uncle Noah in high esteem. When Noah was 43, he started writing the first American dictionary. He did this because Americans in different parts of the country spelled, pronounced and used words differently. He thought all Americans should speak the same way.

It took Webster more than 27 years to write his book. When finished in 1828, at age 70, Noah's dictionary had 70,000 words. The treasured old book we hold so dear is a compilation that still bears his name. It has more than 450,000 words that took 757 editor-years to compile.

How could we throw it away? Perish the thought!

Text Only

Columns

Smoking ban is a good idea
January 12, 2012 1 Photo
A House in disarray
During the 2010 elections there was something going on that many people have not paid attention to but that is all about to end. There is a constitutional requirement that a census be conducted every ten years for purposes of defining proper representation in our government. While all the talking heads and media outlets focused on the statewide and national elections there were thousands of local elections being held that would determine control of the various state houses. It is those state houses and, specifically, the party in power that determines where the boundary lines are to be drawn to ensure that each person has a more or less equally powerful vote. Simple isn't it. Well, not so much.

January 24, 2012
Recreation needs drugs?
One of the favorite politically correct phrases of today is “recreational drugs.” That really gets my dandruff up even through the Brylcreem.

January 19, 2012
Taxpayer Subsidies
An article I read in the newspaper stated that the Kentucky Supreme Court had reached a verdict in a split decision that would make applicants for Black Lung benefits have to meet the same criteria for benefits for similar lung diseases from a different causative agent. Pneumoconiosis is the disease and it can be caused by inhaling dust from any source so the qualifications for benefits for this disease should be the same across the board and not be different just because sufferers of Black Lung get it from coal dust. However, written standards have made qualification for benefits for Pneumoconiosis resulting from coal dust more difficult. This is unfair and discriminatory and it seems the court reached an equitable decision that will result in many more miners being eligible for taxpayer funded benefits.

January 18, 2012
We’re all pill-poppers & junk food junkies
Anyone who grew up in the Eubank area in the 50’s and 60’s probably remembers our local general practice physician Dr. Williams; a wonderful man. I only remember one occasion when my parents took me to see him. I was delirious with a temperature of 103 and Dr. Williams gave me a shot of penicillin. I may have been delirious but I remember that needle; it must have been three inches long and the size of a pencil lead.

January 12, 2012 1 Photo
How do you restore earning power of the middle class?
I don't think a story in this yet young new year has chilled me quite so much as the January 2, 2012 story in the Lexington Herald-Leader about General Electric in Louisville planning to hire new workers. With wages dropping domestically, General Electric is proposing to increase manufacturing of appliances.

January 11, 2012
Alumnus not sure about Science Hill High School
It’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Having one or two cookies at a time is fine. Having a whole box/tray/jar full of them is liable to make you sick (to say nothing of your waistline).

January 10, 2012 1 Photo
R.I.P. Eubank High — 1929-1986. Torched Dec. 30, 2011
Friday night, Decemter 30th, 2011, the abandoned old building that used to house Eubank High School burned down to the exterior brick. A good shove will send them tumbling into the chasm that remains of the smoldering ruins.

January 3, 2012 1 Photo
New Year’s Resolutions
Since Santa Claus has come and gone and all I got in my stocking was a lump of coal, I think I should start compiling my New Year’s resolutions and perhaps I’ll fare better on his naughty or nice list next year. Some of the things I’m considering are:

December 29, 2011
Caution on Privatization
New University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto recently announced that the university would stay out of the fracas surrounding whether to replace or remodel Rupp Arena. I think that was probably the correct move. The entire complex at Lexington Center really has more to do with the development of downtown Lexington as an attraction than it does a place for the Wildcats to play basketball.

December 27, 2011
More Columns Headlines

Columns

Search Results

The Beauty of Our Language

Opinion

Site Map