“I have words . . . I have the best words.” – Donald J. Trump
Words are part of everything, obviously, as they are our most common way to communicate. And every election certainly has slogans attached to it. However, the recent presidential election had new words, old words with new meanings, and new phrases, as well as the usual slogans.
This is not a partisan post, although most of the material will likely come from one particular side of the campaign. Additionally, most of you know where I stand politically, I would assume. However, let’s have some fun with this. Next week will be part 2, the concluding part of Post-Election Word Wall.
****
Most Important Word of the Campaign Award: E-Mail. It arose early and then was gone for most of us. “I don’t want to hear any more about Hillary’s damn e-mails.” It then reared its ugly head again a couple of weeks before the election. Two days before the election it was rolled back again . . .probably too late.
Election Phrase with the Most Imagery Award: “The Basket of Deplorables.” You can just about picture it. And the word deplorable was pluralized,, meaning it was turned from an adjective into a noun.
The Three P’s: Puppets (No puppet, no puppet; you’re the puppet), Putin (Do you know him or not??), and Pussy (not the cat)
The Three Abbreviations: KKK (where did they come from?), KGB (Hi, Putin!), FBI (oh, Comey)
Most Deplorable Chant: Lock her up, lock her up, lock her up . . .
Most Famous Place Award: Aleppo (“What’s that?” he asked.)
Common Word Erasers Award: Disavow, Walk back
New Words for Racism:
- Rapists = Hispanics
- Islamic Terrorists = Muslims
- Beyonce, Jay Z ” and the like” = African Americans
Worst Choice to Pick a Fight With: Gold Star Family
Prom King and Queen: Bad Hombre and Nasty Woman
Who Has The Better of This New Presidential Qualification? Temperament
Best Alliterative Phrase Uttered by a Current President: Uniquely Unqualified
Best New Vocabulary Word to Impress Your Friends With: Misogyny
Slogans and Phrases of the Campaign:
- Make America Great Again
- Stronger Together
- Love Trumps Hate
- I’m with Her
- God-Given Potential
Legal Term of the Campaign: Plagiarism
Most Common Google Search Phrase: “Moving from the U.S. to Canada”
AND
Most Common Phrase That Is Also a Pink Floyd Album: The Wall
Reviews!
Reviews seem to be an integral part of Amazon sales. My workbook sells very well and has over 50 reviews. I have a favor to ask: If you have any of my books and have not yet written an Amazon review, I would so appreciate it if you would. A review doesn’t have to be long. It can be just a sentence or two. Thank you so very much!
Well said Arlene! You made the Big Time! Garrison Keilor put out a statement about the election! He made mention of how many people and groups are feeling somewhere between devastated and disturbed by the otherwordly phenomenon of candidate Drumpf’s so called “mandate!” He included the ‘Grammar Police’ on his list! I think you inspired him! Your commentary makes me wonder whether people understand that the man has a complex of Neuroses that border on Psychosis! Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, and A Christ Complex! Demagogue and Ego Maniac come to mind too! He borders on being a Multiple Personality and may dance back and forth across that threshold! ! New Parlor Game: “How many Trumps can you name?” He used Master Manipulator techniques as well as clandestine Hypnosis techniques to manipulate his ‘followers’ as well as the media! Can you say Pied Piper? We’ve all been ‘played!’ This election made it clear that we have No checks or Balances for psychological instability in candidates! Only saving grace: he’s driven by an insatiable desire to feel loved! Looking forward to Part 2 of your Blog! Hoping “Big League” makes the cut! It’s a gem! 🤗
Thanks for the comment. I agree with your descriptions, but the words are too kind! Every day it gets worse. Nonpartisan…..I might hae to forget that thought!
Arlene, I love your sense of humor and keen observation. I liked your organization of this post and especially enjoyed the “Three P’s.” Trump’s victory, in my opinion, is a tragedy, and the best spin I can put on it to keep my sanity is: this is a necessary shakeup for the American left, and hopefully, the Democratic Party. Maybe these elites will see that that it will benefit them to move even beyond Bernie Sanders progressive if they want to gain seats at the midterms. Get back to caring about the common people, the poor (because the middle class is gone).
Looking forward to Your Part 2.
I am so glad you like the post, and I am glad we could commiserate the other night at the book festival! The Dems have been rather apathetic for a while, so I hope this does shake them and us all up and make us take some action! Thanks for the comment!
I once had a security clearance while I worked as a manager for a contractor to a Federal agency. I would be in prison if I made even a “small” mistake (with no forgiveness for “carelessness”). Ms. Clinton knew exactly what she was doing when she set up her private email server. She was trying to keep her correspondence out of the government archive where it would be subject to Freedom Of Information Act requests. Indeed, her arrangements became public due to such requests. This action was a willful act to avoid the legitimate oversight by Congress and the ability of interested citizens to review her work records. Ms. Clinton was a deeply flawed candidate. I could NEVER have voted for her.
As for Mr. Trump, I have serious reservations about him, as well. But the election campaign did not reveal anything about his past that came anywhere near the level of malfeasance exhibited by Ms. Clinton. (e.g. grumblings about his illegally revealed tax return showed that he too advantage of common tax deductions that any person holding real estate as an investment can take advantage of — including myself.) Of course, Mr. Trumps crude methods of communication were disturbing. On the other hand, it gave him millions of dollars worth of free publicity… it appears that Mr. Trump’s advertising expenditures were less that 1/3 of Ms. Clinton’s.
I print comments from both sides, but I couldn’t disagree with you more. Trump is a pig and a madman. Hillary did nothing others did not do and even tell her to do. And the bottom line is that she would not have ruined the country. She has proven experience making things better. He is a zero as a human being. I cannot tell you how much I despise him.
I’m glad to see you still can write something humorous after such a very dark week. It did put a smile on my face… very few this week.
Thank you for the lift.
Two new vocabulary words to impress your friends with: Xenophobic and demagogue.
Thanks for the two additional words – they are good ones! Glad I could make you at least chuckle in this dark time.
Arlene, I know that Trump’s style leaves something to be desired for we grammar buffs but I honestly find his repulsivity novel. Oh don’t get me wrong, I doubt he has the standard 4000 word vocabulary but his opponent appears to be well educated and yet doesn’t appear to understand how phones and emails work. But then again she’s slightly older than myself and sometimes they appear confusing me as well.
Now that I’m retired, I will enjoy your posts even more, I hope. As long as we all remain apolitical.
Thanks for the comment! I don’t quite understand what you mean by finding his repulsivity (apparently not a word??) novel. How so? I find it difficult to keep posts like this apolitical, especially with how I feel, but this one is not really partisan.
Is it correct to say “…….”we grammar buffs ” and not “us”?
Depends where it falls in the sentence.Did I use that phrase incorrectly? If it is the object as it appears to be in the example, it is likely us. I would need the full context.