Verbish Doggerel

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On Verbiage & Punditry

Editor’s Note: In Monday’s season opener, my students were challenged to find definitions of “verbiage” and “punditry,” two terms with which the WORD is overly familiar. A loyal WORDster sends this original illustration in the style of the Mighty Ogden Nash . . .

“The definition of punditry
is a scholarly gift to all and sunditry
The definition of verbiage
is just so much excess wordy baggiage.”
—Javan Kienzle, alert WORDster, author and editor, 2009

Another Note: Yesterday’s query from a WORDster in Vietnam yielded a number of pointers. To see them, or to pitch in, go yesterday’s WORDlink and click on the comments link at the bottom of the day’s quote:

• This from a faithful WORDster, seeking assistance with a Quindlen quote. I have my own ideas, but would be interested if the rest of the Faithful would like to take a whack at it. Reply to me, or post directly to the comments section of yesterday’s Word.

Hi there, I have to do a translation assignment but cannot understand this quote? Could you please help to clarify it? “Being a reporter is as much a diagnosis as a job description.” --Anna Quindlen Thank you for your help and thanks for continuing to send the interesting and useful journalism opinions everyday. Regards, Thu