Let's Refudiate Austerity

Words and images are the only arrows in a marketer's quiver. Now it's word-of the-year time, and Merriam Webster has awarded the honor to "austerity." Not much jollity in that. Holiday sales appear to be up anyway, especially at the high end.

The Words of the Year list in The New York Times is livelier, though few of the finalists (like "retweet") are really new. Sarah Palin's "refudiate," for example, already had street creds.

No one should think Mrs. Palin is not a gifted word-user. With one word, "refudiate," it's possible not only to disprove something but also to reject or refuse to acknowledge it.

This week procrastinators start their Christmas shopping. Proceed with zeal! Do your part to refudiate austerity.