How the contemporary world shapes our lexicon - an anecdotal example: "evacuated"

[Stinky The Clown]

In the reports on the (tragic) death of the orca trainer at Sea World, the stories end by saying the park was closed and the visitors "evacuated".

I find that word jarring.

People in the path of a hurricane are evacuated. People in a war zone are evacuated. People in a burning building are evacuated.

People at an amusement park where a behind the scenes incident that could never threaten them has occured, are not in need of "evacuation". I see the use of the word as indicative of our country's sick obsession with "security".

[Captain Hilts]

1. It sounds like the whale was threatening the spectators. nt

[Stinky The Clown]

5. As I understood it, the incident took place in a back of house area out of sight of visitors

When the whales are "back stage" gates are closed to keep them in. It seems to me no visitor could possibly have been threatened. I'm not sure, but that's how I understood the events.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Yes, the headline makes NO sense. nt

[Toucano]

2. Good catch, Stinky.

I agree.

The park was simply "closed".

[tekisui]

3. That reminds me of this scene from The Wire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5d82ndui_s

[Auggie]

4. News Reporting has become News Sensationalism

It's all about ratings and readership, my friend.

[rufus dog]

6. You are correct

it should have been "visitors were cleared from the park."

[lonestarnot]

7. or hasta la bye byed

or thrown the hell off the premises after they paid how much to get in? I'm sorry for the victims (lady and whale) but did they get a refund? or vamoosed with blinders, or ...

[bertman]

8. I agree with the contemporary world shaping our lexicon, but it's also a result of

limited vocabulary. I'm amazed by the way words are used improperly, or how someone uses a word he/she THINKS is the right word because it sounds sorta kinda like the word they heard somebody use before.

A lot of it has to do with TeeVee. Avid readers tend to be much more knowledgeable about correct word usage and meanings.

The use of improper terms and poor grammar is rampant even in news articles and magazines.

One of my pet peeves. Okay, I'll go away now.