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FeaturesFebruary 20, 1991

Magazine writers consider it one word, dictionaries write it as two. Dictionaries define it as a popular catch word or phrase, or an overused but still flourishing expression. All agree that it's intended to impress, and can be tricky or misleading on purpose. However defined, a "buzzword" is a "buzz word" is not a "buzz-word." To use hyphens becomes more and more sinful in the eyes of the untaught or careless...

Magazine writers consider it one word, dictionaries write it as two. Dictionaries define it as a popular catch word or phrase, or an overused but still flourishing expression. All agree that it's intended to impress, and can be tricky or misleading on purpose. However defined, a "buzzword" is a "buzz word" is not a "buzz-word." To use hyphens becomes more and more sinful in the eyes of the untaught or careless.

John Leo, writing in U.S. News and World Report, revealed a list of 134 buzz words (based on the speeches of Newt Ginrich) sent to Republican candidates for use in their campaign speeches preceding the November 1990 elections. Self-serving, passionate, caring, moral courage, empowerment, incompetent, antiflag, moral collapse, balkanization, and unionize were among the few on my list, but not all 134 were published in the article by Leo.

I've also noted paradigm, insightful, entitlements, support group, recyclable, draconic, combat effective, failsafe, naked aggression, synergetic, extrapolate, kitsch, and Syndrome preceded by Chronic Fatigue, Sudden Infant Death and numerous other combinations including Anti-work, an affliction we all experience from time to time.

Lance Morrow, one of Time magazine's topnotch writers, treated readers to a superb article recently in which he equated paradigms with buzz words. A paradigm is an example or a model, and the author makes a distinction between Old and New: "Old Paradigm is what's old and doesn't work...New Paradigm is what's new and works." He overlooked what's old and still works, so that eliminates me as a model.

If you still aren't sure what constitutes a buzz word, I judge the breed by the number of times I've encountered them in speech and writing. Insightful is now a favorite of talk show hosts, especially those who consider themselves psychologists or guidance counselors. We have a few late-nighters who do qualify, who concentrate on their callers' positive traits. Recently, when the host reminded one caller she was insightful, she accepted but pointed out that others should consider her "neediness" too. I don't expect "neediness" to become a buzz word, but the talk show host graciously agreed that such consideration was her right.

Surely everyone is familiar with entitlements, at least with the term. It's easier to remember what we're entitled to than what we owe, and political candidates never forget to promise entitlements.

Support groups buzzed into being with the speed of newsprint, and any day now, we may read of a support group for people who fall asleep in church. Don't misunderstand me. These organizations help members through difficult times. But support should be temporary; in the end, we have to help ourselves. (Not that my father ever recovered from falling asleep in church despite Mother's persistent elbowing between his ribs. He bowled on Saturday nights.)

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Recyclable is a buzz word we are all up to our garbage in, but recycling has taught a much-needed lesson to the careless who throw away more than the needy have to live on.

Draconic is derived from the Greek drakon, meaning serpent or dragon. At this stage of the war in the gulf, the whole world knows why it has gained ground as a buzz word. Let us hope that only the word will gain ground in the days ahead, and will buzz out for keeps at the finish.

Combat effective is self-explanatory, and the same goes for failsafe, though I'd prefer to see both terms hyphenated. Failsafe has been used in connection with rendering hospital procedures as well as war equipment and tactics safe from failure.

Naked aggression requires no explanation either, though I heard a comic question naked, wondering what aggression would look like fully clothed.

Synergetic refers to cooperating working together. Too bad the desire up to now has not begun to buzz around in the war-torn Middle East.

Extrapolate was picked up when medical researchers began questioning the validity of basing unknown data on the known, as in extrapolating to human beings data based on tests of mice. We now find the word buzzing for psychology, education and, understandably, military planning as well as for medicine.

Kitsch denotes something poor in quality produced to appeal to popular tastes. I have no regard for the kitsch our great nation exports under the guise of culture. If only, instead of trash, we could sell love in the Christian sense to all our enemies!

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