LSSU Banished Words list, 2008

[Dennis Preston]

What are your criteria that 'wrote' is

1) simpler (I could argue that "wrote" is irregular and therefore more complex)
2) more precise (I could argue that "wrote" is a very common word and
therefore much more likely to be multiply ambiguous)
and
3) carries this implication for all users/readers/hearers (Is this
your impression only or have determined that this is indeed the
implication for a significant number of persons? It doesn't for me,
by the way.)?

dInIs



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>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       "Baker, John" <JMB at STRADLEY.COM>
>Subject:      Re: LSSU Banished Words list, 2008
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>         "Problematic" uses - of the kind I talk about below - do peeve
>me.  It seems to me to be better in every way to say that Philip K. Dick
>"wrote" his book, not that he "authored" it.  "Wrote" is a simpler word,
>it is more precise, and it avoids the unpleasant and false implication
>that Dick may have put his name on a work that was not entirely his.
>
>         When I suggested that the sportswriter's use was "precious," I
>meant that he was trying a little too hard for a high-falutin effect.
>It is not a sufficiently annoying or consistent objection with me to be
>a peeve.
>
>
>John Baker
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
>Of Dennis Preston
>Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 6:49 PM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: LSSU Banished Words list, 2008
>
>When you find these uses 'problematic' and 'precious,' do they peeve
>you?
>
>dInIs
>
>
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       "Baker, John" <JMB at STRADLEY.COM>
>>Subject:      Re: LSSU Banished Words list, 2008
>>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>--------
>>
>>          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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>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>--
>Dennis R. Preston
>University Distinguished Professor
>Department of English
>Morrill Hall 15-C
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI 48864 USA
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Morrill Hall 15-C
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48864 USA

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