William Safire died (27/9/2009)

HenHanna

2024-09-28 07:05:50 UTC

Post by Ross Clark
Frequently mentioned on a.u.e. (less frequently on sci.lang) because of
his New York Times column "On Language", written from 1979 until his
death. He had started at the Times as a political columnist; among his
varied previous occupations, he had written speeches for Richard Nixon
and Spiro T.Agnew.
"It started as the usual kind of usage column, addressing traditional
complaints, but he developed a witty style that gave him a general
appeal....Over the years he became less prescriptive and more
explanatory, reaching out to linguists as occasion demanded." (Crystal)
I knew his writings only as quoted on a.u.e. Somewhere I have a
collection of his columns in book form, but I've never been in the mood
to read it. (Same goes for other such collections I've accumulated. I
should get rid of them.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Safire

1. Political Commentary

Safire often criticized liberals, coining phrases such as
"nattering nabobs of negativism" and "hopeless, hysterical
hypochondriacs of history" to label those he disagreed with.

His language was not only pointed but also intentionally
provocative, reflecting his conservative stance and willingness to
engage in politically charged rhetoric.

2. Support for Israel

He was a staunch advocate for Israel, a position that he
articulated through his columns and public statements. In 2005, he
received the Guardian of Zion Award, recognizing his support for Israel.

____________________________

Safire was known for his prescriptive stance on grammar, which
emphasizes adherence to established standards. He often critiqued what
he considered poor usage and was vocal about correct grammar practices,
famously stating, "A preposition is something never to end a sentence
with".

His belief in maintaining traditional grammar rules sometimes put
him at odds with more descriptive approaches, which advocate for
acceptance of evolving language practices.

4. Attitude Towards New Words and Phrases

Although he was a traditionalist in many ways, Safire also
recognized the inevitability of language change. He would remark on the
emergence of new words and phrases, often with a mix of bemusement and
critique. For example, he noted how, "When enough people are wrong,
they're right," indicating his acknowledgment of colloquial usage
despite his prescriptive tendencies.

________________________

2. Usage of "Like"

In his discussions, Safire noted that the word "like" was
increasingly being used in various grammatical roles, such as a verb,
preposition, and interjection, and he criticized this trend.

He expressed concern that "like" was being used excessively in
colloquial speech, stating, "The word [like] is being used as verb,
preposition and interjection ad nauseam".

3. Etymology and Language Evolution

Safire also delved into etymology in his writings. For
instance, he corrected the common misconception about the word "trivia,"
stating that its origins were connected to the trivium of the Middle
Ages rather than the Latin term "tri via".

------- in AUE, he was mentioned, regarding what??? (for example)