Keeping up with current English language usage

[Kibitzer]

I miss the "On Language" column that Bill Safire used to place in the Sunday NY Times Magazine. (I don't miss so much the occasional op-ed piece he contributed on weekday editions, but I won't go there now.) He was very alert to new usages as they crept up in print or on the air.

In this spirit, I have noticed a recent trend in our national political discourse that could be applied to our Boneyard dialogs.

It goes like this.

First, a public figure (either party) makes an attention-commanding (possibly outrageous) statement. Next, as sure as night follows day, it is challenged by the opposition.

Then, one of two things happens. One, the person who initiated the debate may "walk back" what s/he said (we used to call this "clarifying" the original remark, invariably "taken out of context").

Or, the original speaker will "double down" the original statement stating, in effect, "I said what I meant and I meant what I said."

I thought of this as I read a recent polite dialog between a nice visitor from Tennessee and a Boneyarder I will refer to only as DD. Lots of doubling down, no walking back.

In fact, there is very little walking back here on the 'Yard but a lot of doubling down. Watch and see for yourselves.

 

[alexrgct]

In political contexts, there are clear reasons to walk back or double down. Walking back happens frequently when you just wanted to float a position out there, muddy up the discourse a bit, but not fully engage on an issue. Meanwhile, you double down when you know the end result of a debate will be a compromise, and you want to make sure the compromised conclusion is as close to your position as possible. In psychology, this is referred to as "anchoring".

As far as the doubling down position in message board discourse is concerned, I present you with the following:

 

[Vowelguy]

Then, one of two things happens. One, the person who initiated the debate may "walk back" what s/he said (we used to call this "clarifying" the original remark, invariably "taken out of context").

Not sure I'd view "walk back" as meaning "clarifying". I think of it as "taking it back." Although perhaps in politics, that's that 'clarify' means.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I love Alex's cartoon.

My only edit to his other remarks, however, is that in some cases the Doubling Down syndrome, in politics and elsewhere, isn't in the hope of compromise but to force other people to take one or the other extreme position.

And sadly, people being people, that's what seems to be happening in the world today. And especially on internet forum's that are less moderated than the BY.

 

[Wonkster]

...I thought of this as I read a recent polite dialog between a nice visitor from Tennessee and a Boneyarder I will refer to only as DD. Lots of doubling down, no walking back.

And here I always thought 'DD' stood for "doubling down."

 

[Zorro]

My unfave is "mis-spoke". "Mis-spoke" is a euphamism meaning " I lied my off, got caught and now I wish I hadn't said it". It probably pre-dated the Watergate investigation, but that is the connection in which I first remember hearing it. Now, of course, it has become pretty much standard.

 

[diggerfoot]

I miss the "On Language" column that Bill Safire used to place in the Sunday NY Times Magazine. (I don't miss so much the occasional op-ed piece he contributed on weekday editions, but I won't go there now.) He was very alert to new usages as they crept up in print or on the air.

In this spirit, I have noticed a recent trend in our national political discourse that could be applied to our Boneyard dialogs.

It goes like this.

First, a public figure (either party) makes an attention-commanding (possibly outrageous) statement. Next, as sure as night follows day, it is challenged by the opposition.

Then, one of two things happens. One, the person who initiated the debate may "walk back" what s/he said (we used to call this "clarifying" the original remark, invariably "taken out of context").

Or, the original speaker will "double down" the original statement stating, in effect, "I said what I meant and I meant what I said."

I thought of this as I read a recent polite dialog between a nice visitor from Tennessee and a Boneyarder I will refer to only as DD. Lots of doubling down, no walking back.

In fact, there is very little walking back here on the 'Yard but a lot of doubling down. Watch and see for yourselves.

You might be interested in the book Unspeak by Steven Poole, if you haven't already read it.