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OPINION
I opened the book on an interesting inconsistency last week, after looking up the word “anecdotal” in my handy old dictionary that has been around a few years- always right there at my fingertips- on or near my desk- no need for internet searching, etc. Who could have known (before my latest peek inside), what secret was waiting there among its many pages…. I had considered including the definition of “anecdote/anecdotal” in my column last week, as that was a term used in the Phase I “Management Review” for City of Fountain- but my column had already become quite lengthy, and I had already quoted the dictionary’s meaning of the word “valid/validity” (from the Phase I report), so I didn’t want to bore readers with dictionary references. Then, a few days later, I received Councilmember Darell Craighead’s response to last week’s column (see Letters to the Editor), and I had to laugh. Not only are he and I on different pages regarding some of the findings in the Phase I report- our dictionary sources have much different meanings for the word “anecdotal” too! My dictionary (which didn’t list the word anecdotal by itself- only as a form of the word anecdote) read, “anecdote” is a biographical incident; a brief account of any fact or happening (often amusing); anecdotage n. anecdotes collectively, anecdotal a. anecdotist, a writer or teller of anecdotes. Yet, Craighead’s letter ask, ‘Have you looked up the definition of “anecdotal”? Webster’s (Dictionary.com) defines it as, “based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation: anecdotal evidence.” American Heritage Dictionary defines anecdotal as, “Based on casual observations or indications rather than rigorous or scientific analysis: ‘There are anecdotal reports of children poisoned by hot dogs roasted over a fire of the [oleander] stems.’’ Go figure! And we wonder why there’s often so much confusion in the world! Who knew??? Seriously, it serves as a reminder of why I’m glad to be living in a country where I, as an editor, can freely express my views and opinions in print- with the words I choose to use- no matter what my dictionary (or anyone else’s says.) I say God Bless America and thank goodness I live in the land of the free where I can freely and proudly express my opinions and thoughts in this way. Also, for the record, I do not recall there being any comments in our reporter’s story or my column last week about the Phase I findings stating that “Evergreen said it is true.” (Reference: Craighead’s letter: “People have taken the information from Chapter 3 and claimed Evergreen said it is true.” And, while I’ve never been accused of “flaming” someone before, there’s always a first I guess- just one more aspect of our freedom of speech. That said, I always thought flaming was what they do to Baked Alaska before it is served for dessert. Hmmmn… should I research that word in my handy dictionary, too?
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