Safire's Political DictionaryWhen it comes to the vagaries of language in American politics, its uses and abuses, its absurdities and ever-shifting nuances, its power to confound, obscure, and occasionally to inspire, William Safire is the language maven we most readily turn to for clarity, guidance, and penetrating, sometimes lacerating, wit. Safire's Political Dictionary is a stem-to-stern updating and expansion of the Language of Politics, which was first published in 1968 and last revised in 1993, long before such terms as Hanging Chads, 9/11 and the War on Terror became part of our everyday vocabulary. Nearly every entry in that renowned work has been revised and updated and scores of completely new entries have been added to produce an indispensable guide to the political language being used and abused in America today. Safire's definitions--discursive, historically aware, and often anecdotal--bring a savvy perspective to our colorful political lingo. Indeed, a Safire definition often reads like a mini-essay in political history, and readers will come away not only with a fuller understanding of particular words but also a richer knowledge of how politics works, and fails to work, in America. From Axis of Evil, Blame Game, Bridge to Nowhere, Triangulation, and Compassionate Conservatism to Islamofascism, Netroots, Earmark, Wingnuts and Moonbats, Slam Dunk, Doughnut Hole, and many others, this language maven explains the origin of each term, how and by whom and for what purposes it has been used or twisted, as well as its perceived and real significance. For anyone who wants to cut through the verbal haze that surrounds so much of American political discourse, Safire's Political Dictionary offers a work of scholarship, wit, insiderhood and resolute bipartisanship. |
From inside the book
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Page iv
... Politics by Random House, Inc. Two revised editions were published in 1972 and 1978 as Safire's Political Dictionary by Random House, Inc. One revised edition was published in 1993 as Safire's New Political Dictionary by Random House ...
... Politics by Random House, Inc. Two revised editions were published in 1972 and 1978 as Safire's Political Dictionary by Random House, Inc. One revised edition was published in 1993 as Safire's New Political Dictionary by Random House ...
Page ix
... politics.” The always amendable political language (or polingo, to try out a neologism), the past and present vocabulary is prelude to coinages and “boostings” of future campaigns. In the course of this updated prolegomenon (a forty ...
... politics.” The always amendable political language (or polingo, to try out a neologism), the past and present vocabulary is prelude to coinages and “boostings” of future campaigns. In the course of this updated prolegomenon (a forty ...
Page xviii
... Politicians and historians deal with that period with severity, but to lexicographers, the era of the Watergate vocabulary was a Golden Age of Political Coinage. Some of the expressions fixed in the public tongue in those days were ...
... Politicians and historians deal with that period with severity, but to lexicographers, the era of the Watergate vocabulary was a Golden Age of Political Coinage. Some of the expressions fixed in the public tongue in those days were ...
Page xxi
... political differences were suspended and tensions dissipated; in tracking the etymology of political language, we are all lexicographers. Etymology is a kick. On the origins of words, dictionaries and quotation anthologies vie to ...
... political differences were suspended and tensions dissipated; in tracking the etymology of political language, we are all lexicographers. Etymology is a kick. On the origins of words, dictionaries and quotation anthologies vie to ...
Page 3
... politics to those who sought the abolition of slavery. Spelled with an initial capital in 1790, the term was applied most ... political support from opposing sides. Nonpartisan connotes no controversy at all; above politics implies that ...
... politics to those who sought the abolition of slavery. Spelled with an initial capital in 1790, the term was applied most ... political support from opposing sides. Nonpartisan connotes no controversy at all; above politics implies that ...
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Common terms and phrases
action Administration aide American appeared applied asked attack became become began bill Bush called campaign candidate century charge City civil columnist Communist Congress conservative convention criticism deal defense Democratic described early economic Eisenhower election expression forces foreign former George give Governor head House idea included interest issue John Johnson Kennedy known later leader liberal major meaning ment metaphor military never Nixon nomination noted original party peace person phrase play political politicians popular position Post President presidential referred reported Republican Robert Roosevelt rule Secretary Senator sense speech talk term thing tion told took turn United usage usually Vice vote voters Washington White House word writer wrote York