Editor's note: This is part of an opinion point-counterpoint. To read the counterpoint to this argument, click here
America’s favorite Mama Grizzly is back in the news, not for the angry growls she makes toward illegal immigrants and oil regulators, but for the tweets she’s chirped involving one of history’s greatest writers.
Sarah Palin has not only received flak for using incorrect words in her Twitter posts, but also has started a Twitter movement.
Like George W. Bush, the magician of making up words, she shook it off. She went on to say she’d coined new words because it was fun, just like William Shakespeare.
She tweeted, “‘Refudiate,’ ‘misunderestimate,’ ‘wee-wee’d up.’ English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!’”
As much as I dislike hearing about the ex-governor of Canada’s benign growth, the “Shakespalin” movement is generating hilarious re-writes of some of Shakespeare’s works as if they were written in Palin’s English. Like this one: But soft? What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and I can see Russia from my house. But it has to stop. I only recognize one other talking head’s admission to the English dictionary, and is Stephen Colbert’s “truthiness.”
The English language is a living language, proven by the new additions inspired by the Internet. But these people who taught us new ways to apply the words “epic fail” ever compare their submissions to the great Shakespeare? Of course not. Shakespeare is a famed literary icon whose works have been studied by generations of readers and taught in our schools. It frightens me to think of the things Palin could teach in our schools, if ever given the opportunity.
Sure, making up new words is fun. I do it all the time. Like “litertrocity.” As in, you betcha seeing Palin change the English language would be an atrocity to literature.
Palin’s words should stay where we all believe (and hope) they stay: the Internet. She is the poor player that struts and frets her hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: they are Tweets told by an idiot, full of sound and funny, signifying nothing.
- Luke Atkinson is a broadcast and electionic media senior.
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mythman 1 year, 10 months ago
Does no one care about the blatant bigotry of her original statement? People are ignoring her guilt-by-association fallacies and Islamophobia just to make fun of her odd word choice.
ronnie89 1 year, 10 months ago
How can this garbage get away with being posted on any news site? The opinion section is typically used for hard hitting political commentary. Not only does it lack substance of any kind, but humor as well. Palin is anything but stupid; this is true with anyone with that level of success on any side of the political aisle. Palin “dumbs” down her rhetoric to appeal to the masses. This is true for nearly every politician and political commentator. Do you remember “yes we can” or “change we can believe in”? I had a hard time discerning what exactly Obama supporters do believe in besides empty words coming from an empty suit. Nice try bucko, but this is the problem with liberals. Your ideas never win; therefore, you must resort to petty attacks such as this. Next time, let’s hear one of your ideas to save this country as your man in the White House is ruining it.
freak197 1 year, 10 months ago
nope palin is just a flat out idiot and any attempt by a person to say see isn't should be backed up with more then she is in charge of the tea baggers or elected in alaska. oh ronnie what exactly have republicans done in the last two years but obstruct and stay behind rhetoric.
ronnie89 1 year, 10 months ago
The Tea Party is a group of mostly middle class voters that want economic restraint. I’m not for sure where your crazy perception of them stems from? The parties I have been to consist of the most friendly people I have meet, from all ethnic backgrounds. The debt that the United States has accumulated is simply unsustainable. The path we are heading is Greece, with entitlement programs we can’t pay for and a multitrillion dollar deficit. This is a devastating path no matter what economic theory you subscribe to. Think outside the failed two party system, did I say anything about Republicans or Democrats “freak197”? Are you a puppet that regurgitates what you hear off NPR or do you have an ability to critically examine an issue? What we need are common sense conservatives that exhibit restraint economically and stay within our Constitutional guidelines.
freak197 1 year, 10 months ago
how would you solve the deficit because i have not heard any plausible ways of doing just complaints from teabaggers, it is obxinously ignorant to think cutting taxes will make the government have more money. oh and imagine if the tea "party" was made of all black people and speaking out against bush, they would all be in prison for being terrorist so don't think a racist group wit a sprinkling of minorities is the way.
dargus 1 year, 9 months ago
Really, ronnie? No matter what economic theory I subscribe to? What if I subscribe to the one which says you increase spending during recessions and cut back spending when the economy is doing well? Had our last president paid down debt, instead of running up the deficit, we'd be in better shape today to deal with our problems. I agree we can't deficit spend forever, but this is hardly the time for the government to stop putting money into the economy. How exactly do you think we should get our budget in order?