In multiple articles you will see or will have seen that Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been tapped for the Supreme Court by President Obama. As a short verb, it is hard for headline writers to resist its use.
But I’ve always disliked the use of that word because of its association with fraternity initiations. Naming a Cabinet officer or federal judge ought to involve more dignity that being invited to join Rho Rho Rho.
Now — thank you, Bill Walsh, for your tweet crediting @edzaf — I have an additional reason to dislike this “unfortunate headline verb in reference to a female nominee, given the prevalent slang meaning.”
No prizes for guessing what that “prevalent slang meaning” is.
I agree.
ReplyDeleteI think "tapped" is overused in news stories, but I have never heard of its association with fraternity initiations
ReplyDeleteAnother tidbit: Where's the Baltimore Sun copy desk when you need it?
ReplyDeleteFrom Alternet this morning:
A google search for "Sotomayor" and "immigrant parents" brings up 10 pages of results (including over 2,000 news pieces like this one, from the Baltimore Sun, which describes Obama's pick to replace retiring Supreme Court justice David Souter as having been "raised in a Bronx, N.Y., housing project by her Puerto Rican immigrant parents...")
Fun fact: Puerto Rico is part of the United States!