All hail our ever-changing language. Words come and words go, based on the selective practices of those who dictate our lingual choices. I’m talking about the TV press, the pretty and or personable folks who bring us the latest news and semantic trends. Known as broadcasters in our part of the world, they are referred to as “readers” almost everywhere else. Challenged by deadlines, polls and audience ratings, they are always on the hunt for the next new thing, whether it be a story, a comment, or just a word.
To clarify, let’s consider the rising popularity of ‘pivot’ and ‘troll,’ two rarely used words that I have found to be ubiquitous on news channels. If you don’t believe me, “take a listen,” another widely used broadcaster expression that has become equally annoying.
As a journalist of long standing (and longer sitting) I can’t recall the last time I referenced ‘pivot,’ which dates back to the early seventeenth century, according to Miriam Webster, Merriam’s younger sister. If memory serves, I think I was eight years old and a reluctant student at Miss Sadie’s Shag and Shimmy School of Terpsickerey (Miss Sadie’s spelling, not mine). In those days, ‘pivot’ meant to turn, and far as I knew, was used exclusively in dance class. Having been born with two right feet, I was definitely at a disadvantage. When everybody else turned left, I turned right and versa vice. The problem goes much higher than my feet because I’m still doing it. Ask my kids.
As for ‘troll,’ I recall using it in a review of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, when I was in third grade. An old Norse word meaning giant or demon, ‘troll’ surfaced in 1869, and has many other meanings including, as a verb, to trawl for fish – or as a politician, to fish for votes with a line — which would explain its relevance during election season.
That about does it for now. Hope you learned something about the insider language of television news. As they say in the world of broadcasting, tune in next week when I will discuss antonyms and uncleonyms.
Copyright 2016 Harriet Posnak Lesser
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Harriet Posnak Lesser is an award-winning journalist and social satirist whose articles have appeared in Long Island’s The South Shore Record and Nassau Herald, The New York Times, Cracked Magazine and others.