why?

juliette14 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 4:25 pm

Puerto Rico (AP): ...He is earnest but not magnetic, and starving for attention because of the Sturm und Drang between the current and former governors.OK, it's in the dictionary and it means "turmoil." Solution? Sturm und Drang out, turmoil in. Why would you toss such a term into a story about Puerto Rico? No one on my desk knew what it meant.

wirefly · **Joined:** Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:01 am **Posts:** 12

I realize I'm new here and may be out of my league, but I'm inclined to disagree; the phrase "Sturm und Drang" works for me in that sentence. I could probably make arguments either way, but unless is story is laden with vocabulary that has me flipping through the dictionary like mad, I'm all for using less-common words in a story. Not incessantly, of course, but it's nice to see periodically.wirefly

redpenman · **Joined:** Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:01 am **Posts:** 65

I can see both ends of this one.
In a feature, knock yourself out ---But, I also believe if a good chunk of readers wonder what the hell that means, then it fails. I'd go with turmoil on that one. But I'm overly cautious 90 percent of the time.

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:38 pm

Too many reporters seem to think they have license to impress readers with "clever" terms. Let 'em go write for pretentious magazines. Newspapers are no place for this. We have enough problems holding readers' attention without sending them to the dictionary.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:56 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by wirefly:
"Sturm und Drang" works for me
wirefly<hr></blockquote>
I doubt it would for H.W. Fowler.

wirefly · **Joined:** Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:01 am **Posts:** 12

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Oeditpus Rex:
Too many reporters seem to think they have license to impress readers with "clever" terms. Let 'em go write for pretentious magazines. Newspapers are no place for this.<hr></blockquote>Yes, I see your point. Hmm. Like I said, I could make arguments for either side, but if the writer uses the word/term correctly, should an editor replace it solely because he feels it's too obscure? Or is this simply a peeve among editors that should be endured?wirefly

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:07 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by wirefly:
should an editor replace it solely because he feels it's too obscure? Or is this simply a peeve among editors that should be endured?wirefly<hr></blockquote>
Not a peeve. Think of it as a passion for communication.

pzicari · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 10:37 pm

No one has reacted to Sturm und Drang as self-indulgent literary excess. Are the readers for whom we are supposed to be writing more clearly and simply going to be impressed that we know German? This sort of thing tends to creep up like poison ivy, as one writer and then the next sees it and thinks its cool. "Angst" nearly drove out "worried" a few years ago, even though they don't quite mean the same thing. I lose quite a few battles over inflated foreign phrases, but I consider it a duty to fight them anyway.

bcubbison · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:04 pm

It must be the zeitgeist.Not only is it putting on airs with a gratuitous German phrase, but the story's about a Puerto Rican politician. You might as well usetormenta y tensiÃ³n

wirefly · **Joined:** Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:01 am **Posts:** 12

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Brian Cubbison:
It must be the zeitgeist.TouchÃ©.I hadn't considered the fact that it is a German term, but only that it isn't commonly used. It has since occurred to me that my family is German, which is likely why I am familiar with that phrase in particular, though I'm still on the fence about reporters using less familiar vocabulary. I'd like to know, though: do you have a rule of thumb you use when you come across a word/phrase like this one? Where do you draw the line?wirefly

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:19 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Pete Zicari:
"Angst" nearly drove out "worried" a few years ago, even though they don't quite mean the same thing.<hr></blockquote>Yup. I automatically change "ennui" and "hubris" too.

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