LETTERS: MOSLEY EXPLAINS FANCY LANGUAGE

To the editor:

Jim McFarland recently used some fancy language in a letter to the editor criticizing a column by the Southeast Missourian's Laura Johnston, who had praised her history professor's methods. McFarland took strong exception.

Some of the words and references used by McFarland may have been above the head of the average reader. Since I consider his letter among the most important ever published in the Southeast Missourian and because the ability to interpret and explain is my gift, I felt particularly compelled to do so in this instance.

At one point, McFarland criticized as "naivete personified" Johnston's praising her professor for telling "entertaining stories that are true." This means that Johnston was not smart enough to realize that she would have been better served by a professor who told entertaining stories that were false.

"Historical veracity or obliquity depends on the political, economic and personal prejudice of the writer," wrote McFarland. The operative words here are "veracity" and "obliquity," or, in historical shorthand, VO. The meaning? Not surprisingly, those who write history are less likely to be accurate and more likely to be prejudiced in their accounts if they study and write history while drinking VO.

One of McFarlands's references was to Stewart Udall's "The Myths of August." Those unfamiliar with this work should know that it is about those things we believe during the month of August that are not really true, such as the St. Louis Rams will be Super Bowl contenders.

At another point, McFarland alludes to the confusion caused by referring to the 18th century by different names: Enlightenment, Age of Enlightenment, Ancien Regime. The implied point here is that we would be better off if we no longer studied the 18th century, because it is too hard to understand. Amen to that.

Finally, McFarland's use of the words "macedoine" and "vignettes" may not be understood by those outside the professional historical community. As a result, readers should know they were being reminded that the ancient Macedonians drank small amounts of vinegar for health reasons. This tradition has come down to us today. Indeed, I drink it myself. I often mix it with water and honey, but never with veracity and obliquity.

STEVE MOSLEY

Cape Girardeau