MEDIA WATCH: Using the term "Tsunami Tuesday"

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While posting an item late last night about South Asian support for Clinton and Obama, I wrote an aside about the use of the term "Tsunami Tuesday," for next week's election extravaganza.

Some folks in the press are calling it "Tsunami Tuesday" in reference to the huge wave of major results about to come. Something in the back of my head makes me uneasy about that term, which has gained popularity only this presidential cycle, the first since the Asian/South Asian tsunami of 2004. It seems to be a term that's in bad taste, at the very least, considering almost 300,000 people perished in that tsunami. Am I being too PC?

Having had a chance to, literally, sleep on it, I think I am not being too PC about this (a little PC, yes, but not too PC). I awoke to several e-mail messages, all in support of my questioning this wording. I'll let my friend Paul Knox sum up those messages:

No, you aren't being too PC. The usage is incredibly insensitive. It has been upsetting me for a couple of weeks now, everytime I hear it. Would we call Giuliani's drop in the polls his "Ground Zero Plummet?" I could go on, but I won't.

[A friend at lunch pointed out we'd never say, "Rudy's campaign fell like the twin towers."]

I figure that this is yet another case of people who aren't close to the historical meaning of a particular word being comfortable using it - or at best, not being aware of why it's wrong to use. The case of Kelly Tilghman, the sports anchor who suggested that Tiger Woods's opponents might want to "lynch him in a back alley" is one such example. Another is how some Americans might use "Paki" as shorthand for "Pakistani" without knowing it's a racist term (see the SAJA Stylebook on the term, with examples from President Bush, the NY Post, et al).

Because the 2004 tsunami and its aftermath happened so far away in time and distance, and so few U.S. political reporters were touched by it, I am not surprised that the term "Tsunami Tuesday" has gained credence (showing up in headline after headline and repeatedly on newscasts and talk shows). But we know that for journalists, every word counts. Why should it be different for this one?

I know the folks who use the phrase mean no ill will, and I don't want to look back about the usage in recent days and months. But I think it's time we stopped using it. The term is unlikely to come up again for four more years, but will certainly be used a lot in the next four days, unless awareness is raised.

What do you think? Post your comments below, please. I'd love to hear from dissenters, too, of course.

In the comments below, Mayank Chhaya says, in part, that "this is a non-issue" and that "we tend to emotionalize words too much." Add your own thoughts, please.

Comments

[Mayank Chhaya]

We tend to emotionalize words too much. At this rate we cannot use any expression used to describe a devastating catastrophe in any other context. In so much as Tsunami Tuesday underlines a big wave of primaries that will end at least two presidential runs, I think it is quite appropriate. I have read expressions such as 'political earthquake' or 'torrent of protest'. It is quite obvious that earthquakes and torrents have claimed many lives as well. This is a non-issue.

[Arun]

From my perch the term "Super Duper Tuesday" is far more widely used than "Tsunami Tuesday". I haven't heard anyone in my newsroom say "Tsunami Tuesday," but SDT is standard usage.

And if you do a Google News search on "Tsunami Tuesday" you pull up 532 results, versus 1,035 for SDT.

A broader search, on the entire web, turns up 197,000 results for Super Duper Tuesday, versus just 40,600 for Tsunami Tuesday.

Also, in terms of how it simply sounds, I think that Super Duper Tuesday is slightly more acceptable to the sophisticated ear - its silly, but self-consciously so (and its simply this year's variant on Super Tuesday).

Tsunami Tuesday, with its alliteration (unlike the smooth assonance of Super Tuesday), has a sportier, gameday ring to it - think Superbowl Sunday and the like. It's more predictably hyberbolic and probably - I haven't really looked into this - lends itself to louder media outlets.

[Dan]

Even though it's been a few years since the tsunami, I think it's really insensitive to use the term "Tsunami Tuesday". The first thing that pops into the average person's mind when the word "tsunami" is mentioned has got to be the disaster of 2004.

By the way many people think it's not offensive to fly the rebel flag, yet many people are offended by that symbol of racism. I think we should be sensitive to the feelings of those who might be offended.

[Salil Tripathi]

The problem with the term is not its appropriateness on grounds of taste, but of accuracy. Unless someone wins all states, then the wave that the candidate benefited from could, arguably, be called a tsunami. Or, if we want to get geographical, an avalanche - many people die in avalanches too - would that be inappropriate? What about an earthquake? I therefore see no problem with the term on grounds of taste. But I do have a problem on grounds of accuracy.

But BEFORE the elections have taken place, to call it a Tsunami Tuesday is weird - candidates have already begun opting out, so there ain't going to be a massacre of innocents; and if we are talking of number of voters voting on the same date, it is fewer than what will happen on Nov 4, and fewer than all Indian general elections...

[Rob Seitz]

As I was reading through your comments -- before I got to the paragraph about Tiger Woods - a thought popped into my mind: What if the media had reported that: "John Edwards was lynched by voters in his home state's presidential primary." Ouch! Too much of a reference to the Old South? Or would it have been OK since Edwards is white? He himself made a reference to being the minority during the Black Congressional Caucus debate held on Martin Luther King Day and how "strange" it felt.

What I have failed to fully understand, however, was the uproar following Sen. Biden's reference to Sen. Obama as being "articulate." I think people blew this out of proportion! Again, is it OK to call a white person articulate, but not a black person for fear of offending?

[Daniel]

Personally, I think too little time has passed for a reader to associate "tsunami" with anything but the 2004 Asian Tsunami. I'm not sure if there's a precise point in time that it becomes acceptable, but editors should have a sense for these things.

A somewhat related idea: Though it's not always policed, my news organization has forbidden war metaphors in non-literal contexts. The idea is that phrases like "competitive battle" or "the price cuts were a declaration of war" lighten up the concepts of war into something bordering on entertainment or humor.

[panditjugalkishreshastri]

you can't turn a tide back, much less a tsunami. the tide of its popular acceptance and escalating currency is just one more affirmation that language is never supine and static. all eras of a language, unlike math, which builds on preceding models and moves forward, coexist simultaneously right under our nose.
to me the chaos of language, despite a grammar and academic updates, is as appealing as the fashions where each day is a new season of colors. sometimes it reasons without reason and at other times it exists for its own sake as in onomatopoeia. to me, again, the "assonance," cadence and the buzz makes a word appealing or otherwise. I hate HOWEVER. if any of you ever wants to stop a natural response from me, just say the word HOWEVER. Tsunami is here to stay the course until it transitions into a historical astrophy. Even so, if not remembered well, it will not be forgotten.

Moral: you can't get lil pregnant at a time. the process goes all the way until the next offshoot. until then super duper tuesday.

[Sunil Robert]

I am not sure if the tsunami usage in headlines is just a case of poetic licence or storm in a tea cup. Words - after a while become vehicles to express thoughts and in this day and age of instant headlines, one should allow a little more creative leeway... Otherwise we may as well start objecting to usage of words/phrases like "Flood of emotions"

[Dan]

Whatever happened to the term "landslide"? Why can't we use that tried-and-true term instead?

In a country that is a melting pot, one has to be sensitive of using terms that might offend a particular group... remember, it's not your intention, but how the term is taken that counts.

As to Senator Biden calling Obama "articulate", some people could take that to imply that African-Americans are not usually well spoken. For example, I highly doubt that anyone would come out and say that Hillary Clinton is articulate, or that John McCain is articulate.

Chris Rock said it best -- he said he was tired of people saying that Colin Powell was "so well spoken" -- he's an educated man, how do you expect him to talk -- "I is gonna drop me a bomb today!"

[HS]

I don't think its parallel to use the example of the word "lynch" to
justify this self-censorship of the word tsunami. there is no
neutral/scientific history with lynch. It was born out of a hateful
practice.

Should we stop using the word "landslide" to decribe a victory for the
lesser known/publicized victims of landslides, or censor ourselves from the
use of adjectives like "drown" or "suffocate" to keep from dishonoring the
memories of other victims.

While I wish we could legislate and "stylebook" our way to common sense and
taste - we can't.

[Homayra]

thank you Sree! that term's been making me EXTREMELY queasy.

all the best,
Homayra

[Shamita]

My hackles went up when I heard the term tsunami being used in relation to elections. The term equates the devastation and loss of lives of unusual proportions to U.S. election results -- as though these could ever have the same importance. Don't you think we are assuming U.S. (pre)elections are similar in impact as the numerous Asian lives lost?

I don't think you are being too PC but just critical and mindful.

Thanks for bringing up the issue.

--Shamita

[Dan]

I was about to say that if suddenly there is a giant landslide that kills hundreds or thousands of people, maybe then it might be wrong to use that term, but I think it's okay to use the term landslide for now. Tsunami I have a problem with for now. Check back with me in maybe 10 or 20 years.

While we're using offensive terms, why don't we call this "9/11 Tuesday"? Where candidates will absolutely destroy each other, bringing down the their towering campaigns? I'm sure people would get pretty upset about using that terminology.

[Pat Orvis]

This term represents the US media at its most disappointing.
Pat Orvis

[Janice Castro]

Of course you're right, Sree. PC? maybe only as much as we should be. The word "tsunami" will return to the bin of general usage at some point, but in this political season it is still linked to the tragedy and horror of 2004. Using it in this way shows a singular lack of imagination.
Janice

[Wenalway]

Sree is a one-time Poynterbot who specializes in choking on gnats and swallowing elephants. He lives for these picky little turns of a phrase that somehow signify the downfall of American journalism.

Meanwhile, big problems go ignored. Yawn. Calling it Tsunami Tuesday or not calling it Tsunami Tuesday changes nothing. It just gives the irrelevant empty heads something to complain about. The PC police have no real thoughts or ideas; they just want to restrict language. And that's sad.

[Bruce Andriatch]

This is an interesting debate. It's true that we think of THE tsunami when we hear the word, and probably will for years to come whenever one occurs, which is why it feels wrong to use the word in this context. I have the same issue with the term "ground zero." It may always be associated with 9/11, so does that mean we should avoid using it in another context? Is it offensive to say Florida was ground zero in the 2000 election aftermath? To me, it still feels wrong.

[Wenalway]

The language police are really reaching here. "Christmas at Ground Zero" is one of the best holiday humor songs ever. I could say Ground Zero 600 times over, and nothing would change. Same with tsunami. Eliminating words won't change history, no matter how hard the PC police want to wish.

I think some people here must have run out of Preparation H or something.

[Sendhi]

I don't see anyone here calling for a restriction of language. I see thoughtful readers and writers wishing that media would be more careful about how they used language.

I agree that the analogy is sloppy (as a "landslide" is usually used to describe the RESULT of an election, not the setup of an election or a series thereof). I'd add that the "alliteration" is pretty creaky as well, since the leading consonant SOUND of "tsunami" is not the same as that in "Tuesday", at least off of the American tongues I've heard.

I think Sree hit it on the head early: this is a thoughtless usage due to lack of consideration of the human victims of the tsunami, because most Americans don't know any and haven't thought about any in months if not years. Imagine calling it "Katrina Tuesday"... I suspect it would be quickly perceived as in bad taste.

[Maryn McKenna]

I agree. I was there. "Tsunami Tuesday" takes that enormous suffering far too lightly.

[Wenalway]

"I don't see anyone here calling for a restriction of language."

You don't want certain phrases used because you say they somehow have a negative connotation. That's calling for a restriction of language.

Tsunami Tuesday is just not clever. But -- and here's a stunner -- words have multiple meanings. I think people have used the word tsunami since the disaster. I think people have used the phrase Ground Zero since 2001.

It's time for people to ease up. And I still think Preparation H might be a good purchase to consider.

[BobH]

I would ban Tsunami Tuesday just for being hackneyed.

That said, tsunamis have been around for eons. Yes, the most recent one was particularly devastating, but there have been devastating earthquakes and avalanches and tornadoes before and after. We can't avoid those words in every headline and every turn of phrase. And to compare it to the use of the word lynch is a ridiculous stretch.

[desi]

see.....
http://www.lostremote.com/2008/02/01/it-tsunami-tuesday-insensitive/
for MORE comments going on about this article

[Bano Haralu]

Why "Tsunami" Tuesday ? I don't think the word expresses what's to come with the election extravaganza.
Had the tsunami that struck on 26 December 2004 occurred on a Tuesday,I agreee it would be in terrible taste ... but the Tsunami we all woke up to was on a Sunday !!
So I don't think its right to get oversensitive with the Tsunami term ... its a term that's been around before.
What about "MAHA TUESDAY"

[exsqueeze me]

wenalway:

preparation H

haha