If you know only one of Marilyn McEntyre’s books, it’s likely Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. It’s already a classic, and here’s why: She points toward the wider effects of language erosion and reminds us of what we all really want: to know and be known. One of the most tangible ways to do that is to give attention to the words we use. In May, she published a second edition of her classic, and we talked about it.
Why should we care about words?
Because the words we put out into the world change it. They change the feeling of a conversation. They call others’ attention to what matters. They can surprise others, and sometimes ourselves, into imagining what matters in new ways and change our behaviors. Whether we call a situation a “train wreck,” for instance, or a “significant challenge” makes a b