September 15, 2004

Media Watchdog Sounds Alarm over Use of "Conflate"

New York Mayor Bloomberg Labeled "Unctuous Eruditer"

A media watchdog group that fancies itself a guardian of the English language has taken to the streets of New York again to protest newspaper headline writers' choice of words.

Their target this time: an alarming increase in use of the word "conflate". (earlier protest)

"We're in the midst of a conflate epidemic," shouted Marty Neederhosen of the Society to Curb Repugnant and Unctuous Erudition (SCRUE) from inside his dictionary costume. He labored to be heard over the noise of traffic passing in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"This time it's not just headline writers, but reporters as well and the copy editors who let reporters get away with using conflate," he said, adding, "Everybody's using conflate and nobody knows what it means. It's a disgrace that media owners are afraid to step in and do something about it."

The group mounts roving demonstrations and rarely stays long at any location so as to avoid police and possible arrest. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made it clear his administration doesn't look kindly on dissent related to possible abuse of the English language.

SCRUE recently labeled Bloomberg an "Unctuous Eruditer" and called on New Yorkers to campaign for more precision in the use of English, both the mayor's use and the city's use as well. "A city's fortunes rise and fall based on how well it speaks," the group said.

About two dozen SCRUE members, all wearing the bulky dictionary costumes, paraded in front of the museum, holding signs that read: "Stop Conflate Inflation" and "Deflate Conflate Now!"

A press release said that the dramatic increase in the use of conflate began at the end of June as the presidential election campaign moved into the convention phase. It gathered momentum during the Democrat's convention in Boston and hit a peak during the Reublican convention in New York.

The group said that since June 1 The New York Times has used conflate 313 times in both headlines and articles, The Wall Street Journal 133 times and The New York Review of Books 1,045 times.

"Enough is enough," Nederhosen said just before the group heard sirens approaching and raced off into Central Park behind the museum.

A member of a group of Japanese tourists who had watched the demonstration asked if the group was supporting President Bush in the election. "He is in favor of conflation, is he not?" the man asked.

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