The Language of Politics

This week I read more of The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling, but that wasn't what captured my attention. 

Following a family fun outing of flu shots, my parents parked me in the Kroger Marketplace cafeteria with my mother's iPad while they went grocery shopping. While perusing the New York Times app, I happened across this article "Gosh Who Talks Like That? Romney Does" and was immediately captivated. If there was any doubt that a linguistics major wasn't the right path for me, it was eviscerated after reading this article. 

The article discusses how Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's distinct language patterns and colloquialism could be contributing to his inability to connect with voters. The author  states that Romney speaks in "Mittisms." 

 In Romneyspeak, passengers do not get off airplanes, they “disembark.” People do not laugh, they “guffaw.” Criminals do not go to jail, they land in the “big house.” Insults are not hurled, “brickbats” are.

I am admittedly not a Romney supporter, but I was fascinated by how much effect diction and syntax can have on people subconsciously. The fact that Romney legitimately uses the phrase "H-E-double-hockey-sticks" certainly characterizes his personality. 

For Democratic strategists, Mr. Romney’s throwback vocabulary feeds into their portrayal of a man ill-equipped for the mores and challenges of the modern age.  

Aside from the fact that I'm obsessed with the phrase "throwback vocabulary," this well-articulated story caused me to pause and think about my language and language in general. I suppose linguistically we cannot please everyone. It seems good ol' Mittens makes headlines when he describes having "binders full of women" and when he says something as non-scandalous as "golly gee heavens." 

However, in a world of four letter words, Romney does feel out of touch and the idea that his old school vernacular poses an obstacle makes sense. Could Romney adapt? The article insinuates probably not. 

A few acquaintances have tried to drag him linguistically into the 21st century. Mr. Finneran, an admitted serial curser, said that after years of working closely with Mr. Romney, he began to fantasize about provoking him to utter a particularly crude word.

“It got to the point where I started to think that my greatest achievement of all time would be if I somehow or other got him to say the word,” he said.

Once, Mr. Romney seemed on the cusp of fulfilling that wish during a heated discussion. But he caught himself. “And I thought, ‘Oh, God, my closest moment ever,’ ” Mr. Finneran said. “But it’s not going to happen.”

We can dream.