July 19, 2003
Neologology. This month the delightful Word Detective answers a query from a puzzled reader on the meaning of the verb "to fisk". He provides a thorough and accurate etymology, despite his naïve faith in the superior merit of any published mainstream journalist relative to any political blogger:

So now there are a gazillion "blogs," and many of them are political, usually maintained by people who care passionately about politics and have all sorts of novel ideas, but for some mysterious reason cannot get published in mainstream media.

(One is left to ponder the different, but equally mysterious reason for the bent-knee attitude toward Independent writers.)

If you haven't been by, and are fond of things etymological, you might want to click over to the index and enjoy.


Posted by Moira Breen at July 19, 2003 01:08 PM
Comments

Those of us who occasionally shout at our television sets will recognize the impulse behind this sort of thing [fisking], but few of us go to the trouble of typing out our rants and posting them to the internet.

That's because the TV doesn't hear us, cannot respond to our views, and gives no indication that our ideas might have some merit. Much like writing to a newspaper columnist.

I would say it's a good deal more mysterious how some of these mainstream media writers do get published.

Posted by: Angie Schultz on July 19, 2003

There was a discussion some months ago on the origin of the term, and it is probable that Mr Tim Blair can claim first use.

Cheers

Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs on July 28, 2003

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