bureaucratese

[Joel S. Berson]

The other prime strategy is to blame the victim:  "I regret that
anyone was hurt/offended by what I did/said."  See Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff General Pace, on homosexuality.  Or Delta Zeta
sorority on expelling those who didn't fit from its DePauw chapter:

"Delta Zeta National apologizes to any of our women at DePauw who
felt personally hurt by our actions. It was never our intention to
disparage or hurt any of our members during this chapter
reorganization process."

(The NYTimes reports that "In addition to the apology, the sorority
posted on its Web site statements critical of the women forced out of
the DePauw chapter and of faculty members who supported them." DePauw
has now evicted Delta Zeta.)

Joel

At 3/14/2007 01:59 AM, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>Isn't this true of American speech in general? The pattern I see is that
>a person will say they are sorry for something (like being late) and
>then proffer an excuse (there was a lot of traffic). A switch of voice
>is not needed, but it seems like the same pattern of claiming to be
>contrite without actually being responsible. BB
>
>sagehen wrote:
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Poster:       sagehen <sagehen at WESTELCOM.COM>
>>
>>
>>"I acknowledge that mistakes were made here.  I accept responsiblity....."
>>  AG Gonzales while displaying his facility with the grammar of
>>establishmentspeak, wherein the word "mistake" always calls for passive
>>construction, showed nimbleness in employing the forthrightness that has
>>become fashionable among politicians lately, by switching to active in the
>>next breath.  In the recent election someone caught in a scandal  did this
>>in reverse order.  "Yes, I did it." Then immediately lost the points gained
>>by laying the   blame on some sort of addiction & haring off to rehab.
>>More bread & circuses.
>>AM
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org