Don't "Misunderestimate" George W. Bush

Compu-Serve ^ | February 17, 2003 | Compu-Serve

[Libertina]

Don't "misunderestimate" Dubya. Those verbal Bushisms are beginning to "resignate" with the American people. Maybe they'll even "embetter" the English language.

[Libertina]

They may have started out as verbal slip-ups but several of President George W. Bush's mangled phrases found their way on Tuesday to a list of the top words of 2002.

"There are already 11,000 instances of 'misunderestimate' on the Web. The more people use words, whether jocularly or seriously, the more likely they are to enter the language and last for generations," said Paul J.J. Payack, chairman of yourDictionary.com, which compiled the list.

Payack, a man who refuses to misunderestimate the power of a president to shape the language, said, "Our lists attempt to capture those ... innovations in word choice and usage that tell us something about ourselves."

The list of most important words of 2002 was drawn up with help from visitors to the yourDictionary.com Web site and from the site's group of linguists, who monitor the use of the English language around the world. They include the so-called Bushisms; misunderestimate (to seriously underestimate), embetter (to make emotionally better -- the opposite of embitter), resignate (as in "They said this issue wouldn't resignate with the people") and foreign-handed (as in "I have a foreign-handed foreign policy").

In non-Bushisms, the post-September 11 world gave birth to "threat fatigue," while America's corporate and financial shenanigans introduced the verb to nasdaq (as in "His fortune was nasdaqued"), Nasdaq being the tech-heavy stock market.

There is also that well-known accounting practice disease known as Enronitis, and dot-communism (the conviction that everything on the Web should be free or, at least, paid for by someone else.)

But the most frequently used word on the planet, whatever the native language, is still "OK."

BUSHISMS
Misunderestimate To seriously underestimate.
Embetter To make emotionally better -- the opposite of embitter.
Resignate As in "They said this issue wouldn't resignate with the people."
Foreign-handed As in "I have a foreign-handed foreign policy."
LOL I Love President Bush!

[Libertina]

President Bush BUMP!

[MHGinTN]

I love strategery. [I wonder, does Saddam Insane realize a strategerist never bluffs?]

[McGavin999]

I can't believe they forgot "Strategery". That's my favorite Bushism.

[The Chief]

I have heard that used with an impersonation of the President for a car dealership, about 70 miles or so north of NYC...

[Chi-townChief]

How about "The war on tare." I always watch for that one. "Nucular", I believe, is actually a regional variation.

[Libertina]

I believe it is up to US to fill in the missing and endearing "Bushisms." Thanks for getting the ball rolling!
STRATEGERY!
Add your own !

[bluefish]

Funny, I have never heard of any of the "non-Bushisms" - i.e. dot-communism / nasdaqued. Yet, I worked for a dot com (and still do) and also traded quite a bit, shorting stocks until just before 9/11. Cute phrases, which may be why they made the list. I wonder if they really became that popular. When a list like this is made, they really reach to add substance to it.

[Libertina]

Those are great!

[supercat]

I remember an article awhile ago in a major newspaper which cited two "Bushisms": "Grecian" [used as a synonym for Greek] and "inebriating" [used as a synonym for intoxicating]. I was amazed at how quickly those terms made it into Webster's. >:*3

[bluefish]

Ahhh yes, strategery. My favorite, and I use it at work all the time around all the leftists. The President of the company is a Bush fan though and grins every time I say it. He knows, although we never discussed politics.

[Libertina]

The article says those are non-Bushisms. He can't possibly have time enough to twist all the words. :)

[supercat]

One term which my wife and I coined and which I've been trying to add to the English language to replace the awful and wrong phrase "month anniversary" [as in "March 11 is the six month anniversary of the WTC attacks"] is "monthiversary". Clear and obvious in derivation and meaning. Using the Latin rather than English stem ["mensaversary"] might be better for some purists, but is far less clear. Anyone else like "monthiversary" as a term?

[supercat]

Ahhh yes, strategery. My favorite

I prefer "stragedy", even though it's not a Bushism.

[Libertina]

Ahhh yes, strategery. My favorite
Really, the first time I realized it was from GW was when Rush kept saying it and chuckling. I really like them. As far as strategery, not only can he say it, President Bush can DO it! LOL The dems are apoplectic!

[Libertina]

:) I can't even say it!

[azGOPgal]

DamnHippie signe up "2003-02-18"

[Libertina]

Buh-Byeeee!

[diefree]

It's funny, I understood Pres. Bush when he said strategery and misunderestimate and resignate and embetter, but I can't make hide nor tail about what you're saying.