LSSU Banished Words list, 2008

[Baker, John]

        I may have been too broad in my condemnation of "authored."  I
just did a search for uses of "authored" using Google News, to see how
it is being used in edited text.  Most uses there fall into one of the
following categories:

        1.      As a synonym for "wrote" or "written":  "Philip Dick
authored his sci-fi novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.'"  This
was the sense I was criticizing.

        2.      In contexts where document ownership is implied, but
"wrote" or "written" likely would be inappropriate.  This seems to come
up particularly in news reports about legislation (likely a bias
introduced by using a news database):  "A number of new state laws
authored by two Silicon Valley state senators will take effect today."
This also arises where there is institutional authorship:  "The Office
of Strategic Services authored in late June 1945 one of the first
position papers to address occupation policy toward minorities."

        3.      In contexts betraying uncertainty as to whether "wrote"
or "written" would be appropriate:  "Bonanno was famous for his family's
ties to the Mafia, books he authored about them and time spent in a
federal prison camp."

        4.      In the broader sense of the term:  "Darren McFadden,
Arkansas' junior running back, gained 105 yards on 21 carries but never
authored a breathtaking run."

        5.      To show a parallel with "co-authored":  "The site says
he has authored or co-authored five books and has a Ph.D. in psychology
from Emory University."


        Only the first of these categories really seems problematic to
me, although the example with Darren McFadden strikes me as a bit
precious.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Dave Wilton
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 5:06 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: LSSU Banished Words list, 2008

I kind of like "authored." In this world of ghostwritten books, it
serves a useful purpose. To "author" a book is to claim the words as
one's own, regardless of whether or not one actually wrote them.

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Baker, John
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 9:17 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: LSSU Banished Words list, 2008

        Once again, we see how effective a list like this can be at
obtaining publicity.  I think I am not alone in having no other
knowledge of Lake Superior State University.

        What I find most striking is the presence of several specific
and useful words on this list.  Webinar, waterboarding, surge (when used
in reference to the 2007 temporary increase in U.S. forces in Iraq), and
Black Friday are all needed terms for which there are no equally handy
alternatives.

        Their complaints on "give back," "emotional," and that old
stand-by, "decimate," just seem silly, while phrases like "X is the new
Y" and "under the bus" are fads that will run their course in any case.
But I am with them on author/authored.


John Baker

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