November 8, 2004

Dictionary Experts Examine Convincing Mandate Claims

Lexicographers Probe Probity of Winning Margin Descriptions

A panel of the world's leading English language lexicographers has been convened in the wake of President Bush's re-election to reassess the definitions of the words "convincing" and "mandate."

"We're not operating on an emergency basis, but we see some need for urgency, considering the politically charged way these words are being used in the wake of the election," said J. Robert Edward Merriam-Webster, professor of Lexicography at Harvard University and president of the National Association of Sticklers about Precise Use of Language.

After receiving 3.5 million more popular votes than John Kerry and winning the electoral college vote by 286 to 252, Bush and his aides declared that voters had given him a convincing mandate to implement his agenda in the next four years, including such things as reforming the tax code and social security.

"What is quite troubling to the panel is that Senator Kerry came within 200,000 votes of winning the electoral college, which is what matters, not the popular vote," Merrriam-Webster said. "Viewed in that context, it is not unreasonable to suggest that perhaps the president just managed to squeak through to a victory."

Noting that language is constantly evolving based on current usage, Merriam-Webster said it's possible that the Bush team's use of the two words represents a genuine evolution in the use of "convincing" and "mandate." In that case, dictionaries would have to be changed to reflect the new meanings of the two words.

"I wish to emphasize that the panel we have convened is bi-partisan," Merriam-Webster said. "We lexicographers take it as a sacred obligation to put correct use of language on a higher plane than politics. Republican or Democrat, the panel members are united on this."

The panel plans to study "mandate" first, since it modified by "convincing" and modifiers are always considered second. The definition that will be studied says that a mandate is "an authorization to act given to a representative."

"We've only begun our deliberations and I can't speak for the panel, but I think 'mandate' will give us the lesser trouble," Merriam-Webster said. "In the context of the definition, the president is, of course, the representative of the people. And it seems somewhat apparent that whether his margin of victory was one vote or many votes, he nevertheless is expected to act. Thus, one could argue he is authorized to act, which is to say, he has a mandate."

The professor said he thought the panel's most difficult work would come when it examines the definition of "convincing." The Bush team has insisted on using the word as an adjective to describe the election outcome.

The definition of "convincing" that will be studied reads: "having power to convince of its truth, rightness, or reality."

Merriam-Webster said the panel's discussions would likely center on the use of word "power" in the definition. "This means the president's margin of victory must have sufficient 'power' to convince," he said. "So that brings you back to the vexing problem of the president winning the Electoral College vote by a mere 200,000 votes and the contention by many that he won by a hair's breadth, which, of course, is far from convincing."

He said that if the panel decides the Bush team is correct in asserting it received a convincing mandate and that a change in the definition of "convincing" is necessary, the most elegant way to solve the problem would be to find a substitute for "power."

"If that's where our deliberations lead us, one can begin to draw up a list of words that might replace 'power,'" Merriam-Webster said. "Perhaps 'perception' would be a suitable substitute."

Thus, Merriam-Webster said, the new definition might read:" creating a perception of its truth, rightness, or reality."

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