refugee, IDP, evacuee

[Thomas Paikeday]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Benjamin Zimmer" <bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 12:17 AM
Subject: Re: refugee, IDP, evacuee


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: refugee, IDP, evacuee
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> This has been quite a week for the embattled word "refugee". Here's a
> round-up of news and op/ed pieces to supplement Geoff Nunberg's admirable
> analysis...
>
> News articles:
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601214.html
> Associated Press, 9/6, "Use of Word 'Refugee' Stirs Race Debate"
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601896.html
> Washington Post, 9/7, "'Refugee': A Word of Trouble"
>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509080186sep08,1,5717694.story
> Chicago Tribune, 9/8, "Some take offense at 'refugees'"
>
> Op/Ed:
>
> http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/3345865
> Houston Chronicle, 9/8, "Lexicon of Disaster"
>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0509080032sep08,1,4516170.column
> Chicago Tribune, 9/8, "Refugees, evacuees, victims or survivors?"
>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0509080185sep08,1,513882.column
> Chicago Tribune, 9/8, "Changing words, pictures won't change reality"
>
> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.refugee08sep08,1,7197655.story
> Baltimore Sun, 9/8, "Semantics and symbolism"
>
> http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/breaking_news/12604510.htm
> Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/9, "'Refugees' or not, they suffer and need
> refuge"
>
> http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/ci_3014481
> Eureka Times-Standard, 9/9, "A refugee by any other name"
>
>
> --Ben Zimmer

AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST INDEED. SINCE I CAN READ ONLY WITH DIFFICULTY, I HAVE
BEEN WATCHING CNN THESE TWO WEEKS. I WAS ASTONISHED BY THEIR DEFENCE OF
"REFUGEE" USE BY THE COMMENTATOR (FORGET HIS NAME) WHO MANAGES THE
"SITUATION ROOM"  6 PM TO 7 PM ET. HIS AUTHORITY WAS THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER
DICTIONARY. HE QUOTED ITS DEFINITION, (JUST THE GENERIC PART, "ONE WHO
FLEES") WITH THE SPECIFIC PART LEFT OUT. A REAL COP-OUT, ISN'T IT?