Words are music. At least they can be. The combination of words that produce prose and poetry on the written page can be evocative or provocative, and a really great turn of phrase can stick in the memory forever. When the verbal delivery of the words is done with skill, an additional layer of meaning can be added. I may only catch the actual meaning of every other word in the chanting, rhyming lyrics of rap, but it is almost impossible to not be drawn into its performance.
For a while now, I’ve been a little worried about words. When “tweet” and “text” took on new meanings, an abbreviated language was introduced and used in those contexts. I didn’t like it. Still don’t. It’s not that I’m for rigidity in written communications. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have used six contractions in this paragraph already. And while I may insist on using all three letters to write “you,” I recognize that some of “u” will insist on the convenience of using one keystroke for the same word. I can live with that, if you can live with my using the oxford comma and two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence. Don’t argue with me. You’re not going to change my mind.
When words are chosen badly, even presidential legacies can hang in the balance. “I am not a crook” is a clear and concise statement, but it was too late for Nixon to be believed when he made that assertion. Reagan’s denial that he traded arms for hostages in the Iran Contra affair led to the tortured explanation that this was true in his “heart and [his] best intentions,” but it was not true based on “facts and evidence.” (I’m still scratching my head over that one.) Clinton invited us to rethink the meaning of “is” and “sexual relations.” We rethought, and he got impeached. George W. Bush, not content with redefining existing words, gave us some brand new ones. “Misunderestimate” comes to mind.
After eight years of President Malaprop (more endearing now than it was in the moment), it was time for a change. Enter Barack Obama, who never set a word wrong. Politics aside (for the moment), that man can talk. Like the hula dance where every movement has a meaning, Obama can put a phrase together like he’s writing for a Hallmark card or a needlepoint pillow. But two terms of that and we were ready (well, some of you) to stop celebrating language arts and start embracing performance “art.” (That’s derision in them there quotes.)
Let’s face it. For a man who got the support of so many voters because they thought he says what he means and means what he says, Trump actually does neither. He asserted that he has the “best words,” but where he does he keep them? And if he could use them effectively, he wouldn’t be so “misunderstood.” Well, I’m not sure that he’s misunderstood, and I don’t think he’s misunderestimated, either.
When the House Intelligence Committee (believe it or not, there is such a thing) and the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings were televised earlier this week, it was a pleasure watching some of our elected representatives playing grown-ups in Washington. Seeing them use a language skillset not designed for the campaign trail or cable news shows was refreshing. And, when grown-ups (or politicians trying to act like grown-ups) are being deliberative in their use and choice of language, the listener is required to “lean in” to the discussion. Especially when that discussion includes the director of the FBI acknowledging an investigation into the links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government…well, the gravitas quotient ramped up quite a bit. Or, when the open seat on the Supreme Court is the prize under consideration…well, that’s really big stuff, too.
It is true that I’ve skipped a speech or a hearing and depended on cable news to give me the Cliff notes—the 21st century sound bite that allows us to not listen to the whole thing and still tell ourselves (and most anyone who will listen) that we know what’s going on. But when what we hear is only that sound bite given to us by the very news organizations that most of us somewhat distrust, we have no one to blame but ourselves if we are uninformed, underinformed or misinformed.
Besides, if you listen to the whole thing (or as much of it as you can manage and still make your lunch date), you’ll get to see your favorite (or not-so-favorite) elected officials using their very “best words.” And, before it’s all over, maybe Trump will find his “best words” and get a chance to use them, too.
Wouldn’t it be delicious if all of us “word” people find out that the art of the deal can be trumped by the art of the language? No, that’s not just delicious. That’s downright yummy.
