A few original words on John McCain
Etymology, the study of word origins, can be instructive and amusing.
Some etymological fun has emerged from the McCain campaign as its hysteria has reportedly risen. Etymologically, it would be impossible for McCain himself to be hysterical; the word derives from the Greek for "uterus."
However, his running mate Sarah Palin can be truly hysterical. She also acts as his "attack dog," and dog breeders have a word for a female canine. It's "dam" (not "darn") - from the same French word meaning "lady" which gives us dame and damsel as well.
One wonders watching her which word best describes Palin in her defending the McCain campaign's "negative ads" as "telling the truth."
Another hysterical "dam(e)" has come forth in Cindy McCain whose almost total silence was broken by a startling declaration that the Obama campaign is the "dirtiest is American history."
In one so young, she might be forgiven for not recalling the Tribune's remarks about Abraham Lincoln that his knuckles scraped the earth as he was carried by his supporters on their shoulders.
But certainly she was around when John Kerry, war hero, was being "swift-boated" by the Bush-Rove slander machine. Such a weak historical perspective serves hysterics' purposes.
John McCain himself exhibited some strange behavior in the recent debate, repeating the lie about "fines to small businesses" being part of Obama's health plan and then peevishly muttering a near final comment that maybe we will learn about the fines then. (At the next debate? From "that one"?)
Since it would be etymologically inaccurate to describe such behavior as hysterical except in its alternate meaning as hilarious, perhaps we should consider "panic," from the Greek god Pan who inspired fear and terror in soldiers losing a battle.
Probably McCain fans, related to the word fanatic, will deride this entertainment as another example of elitism, from a French word for choice or best. Isn't that what we all want as president, the best choice?
Marty McGowan
Elk Grove Village