I was listening to the radio today, when a police spokesman talked about someone incurring a stab wound in a "lower extremity". I had trouble visualizing some being stabbed in the foot, and it was only when there was a mention of a second stab wound to an "upper extremity" that I realized that "lower extremity" actually means "leg", and "upper extremity" means "arm".
So, why don't they say "leg" and "arm"? The use of "extremity" is no more accurate, formal or legal, and it is certainly more confusing. Do they think they sound more intelligent, or that their job somehow sounds more difficult amd technical? Who knows?
This same kind of circumlocution is also rampant in court cases and in newspapers, and I came across this informative list of redundant journalese phrases:
- fled on foot = ran away
- high rate of speed = speeding
- physical altercation = fight
- verbal altercation = argument
- reduce expenditures = cut costs
- terminate employment = fire
- reduction in service = layoff
- blunt force trauma = injury
- discharged the weapon = shot
- transport the victim = take him/her
- lower extremities = legs
- officers observed = police saw
- at this point in time = now
- express concerns = complain
- incendiary device = bomb
- obtain information = ask or interview
- deceased = dead
- sexual relations = sex
- roadway = road
- fail to negotiate a curve = missed a curve
- determine a course of action = consider options
- vehicle = car or truck
- citizen = person
- individual = man or woman
- commence = begin
- emergency personnel = police, firefighters
- utilize = use
- complainant = victim
- fatally injured = killed
- motorist = driver
- juvenile male/female = teen boy or girl
- respond to the scene = arrive
- precipitation = rain, snow
- purchase = buy
- intoxicated = drunk
- controlled substances = drugs
- appendages = arms, legs
- contusion = bruise
- head trauma = head injury
- laceration = cut
- provide leadership = lead
- obstruct = block, get in the way
- came to the conclusion that = decided, figured out
- arrived at a decision = decided
- reside = live
These are phrases we read and hear all the time in newspapers and on the radio and television. And most of them are absolutely indefensible, and mere exercises in official obfuscation.
No comments:
Post a Comment