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Home > All site sections > Blogs > Editors' blog

Picking a fight

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Steve Crabb

29 Sep 2008 | 12:06

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‘Pick’ is a fine old word. As a verb it’s been around since at least the 14th century. Its original meaning was ‘to pluck the strings of an instrument’, and since then it’s lived a full and satisfying life as a verb meaning ‘to select’. It’s even turned into a noun, in some rare, specific and charming usages: ‘pick of the crop’ for example, which suggests ruddy-cheeked agricultural labourers relaxing after a hard day’s harvesting fruit in a painting by Constable.

But in the last few weeks, ‘pick’ has undergone a hideous mutation, thanks to the global media coverage of US presidential hopeful John McCain’s ‘pick’ of Sarah Palin as his running mate. Suddenly every other sports commentator and travelling salesperson is talking about their daring ‘pick’ of steak at dinner or a yellow shirt for their presentation. Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Nick Faldo, told the media: "I feel very good about those two picks." He wasn’t talking about a pair of implements normally used by builders, he was talking about his selection policy for this month’s tournament (which, incidentally, Faldo’s team lost).

It’s hideous and unnecessary. We have a rich and diverse vocabulary available to describe the process or recruitment and selection: why be seduced by one of the clunkiest and frankly rather confusing linguistic mutations to swim across the Atlantic in years? Let’s send it back whence it came – preferably along with its early adopters.