A while back, I was talking about books — books that had an influence on people, politically. I issued an invitation to readers: “What book or books made an impression on you, or set you on fire? What book or books were key in the formation of your politics, or worldview?” They told me, many of them. And I write about this in a piece today: here. Awfully interesting, I think.
Last week, some of us had a discussion about the Midwest: What is it? Where is it? That sort of thing. A reader writes,
Jay,
I grew up in Tennessee but spent most of my adult life in Nebraska (or rather was planted there by the Air Force; I spent half my time in an aluminum tube in other parts of the world).
Anyway, when I first moved to Nebraska in 1980, local news and newspapers made it clear I was now in the Midwest. Kansas and Nebraska were literally the middle of the country, so it made sense.
My head spun a few years later when I started watching the Weather Channel. Suddenly, according to Stephanie Abrams and Jim Cantore, my home was in the Great Plains, and the Midwest was Ohio and its neighbors.
I’m still confused, but I’m retired and back in Tennessee now, so I don’t care.
Another reader writes,
Jay,
On the “mid” in “Midwest”: It is a point in time, not a place.
“Mid” is an abbreviation of “middle era.” Used in geology and history, it reflects periods or eras of time, not space. Specifically, we are talking about the middle era of westward expansion in the United States.
I had a college professor from London who thought Denver was in the Midwest, being near the center of the U.S. on a map.
In column after column, I have notes on language. Readers send in their own notes. One man says,
I have two quibbles with modern American usage lately. The first is “step foot” instead of “set foot.” The other is “based off of” instead of “based on.” I hear these on the radio and on TV from professional broadcasters. Malapropisms become the standard over time and I’m against it!
You know what I’ve been hearing in recent years? “On accident,” instead of “by accident.” I think people want to match “on purpose.”
Another reader goes after “Where are you at?” He says, “Why oh why can’t people say, ‘Where are you?’” Dunno.
Our reader has also had his fill of “per.”
This is used in place of “according to,” and it just sounds clunky. “Per the instructions . . .” Now, “cubic feet per second,” “miles per hour” — these make sense and sound nice.
Then we get to “impact” (as a verb) and “impactful.” “I could go on forever about this one,” says our reader. “When someone says, ‘She has an impactful personality,’ it just sounds crappy.”
Do it ever. Anyway, per me, it’s time to go. My thanks to one and all readers.