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The word
The Word To the Editor: One of the reasons the E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e is so complex and difficult to use is t h a t there are so m a n y of them. There is the E n g l i s h version, American, Canadian, South African, A u s t r a l i a n , New Zealand, etc_ Different peoples apply different m e a n i n g s to existing words and i n v e n t their own words to such a n extent t h a t each needs its own dictionary of the E n g l i s h language. Witness the appearance of dictionaries of the American language. Let us c o n t a i n the l a n g u a g e lest it overcome us! This is a plea for emergency physicians to exercise r e s t r a i n t i n i n v e n t i n g new words or applying new m e a n i n g s to existing ones. In particular, one word w a r r a n t s extreme care: emergent. We often hear and read about %he e m e r g e n t patient." The adjective conjures up a vision of the p a t i e n t e m e r g i n g from the sea with seaweed draped about h i m in m o n s t e r fashion. The word "emergent" is closely related to the verb %merge." '~The u r g e n t patient," or "the criti-
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cal patient," or even %he emergency patient" is a much better way of describing one who is seriously ill or in, jured or who desires the services of the emergency de, p a r t m e n t . The word %mergent" should be confined to its more obvious definition, as in, "Emergency medicine is an e m e r g e n t specialty." This is a plea to emergency physicians to refrain from u s i n g the word %mergent" as a s y n o n y m of "emergency.', When a s y n o n y m is needed to describe a p a t i e n t in dire straits, "urgent" is preferable a n d less likely to cause misunderstanding. I do not argue t h a t our l a n g u a g e should b e static. In an a d v a n c i n g society it is necessary to add new words and change m e a n i n g s of old words, b u t care should be exer. cised. C h a n g i n g the language capriciously a n d without j u s t cause is diabolical. As M a r k T w a i n said, "It is uncivilized; it is u n A m e r i c a n ; it is u n E n g l i s h - - i t i s French."
Selwyn T. Hartley, MD College Park, Georgia
November 1976 J ~ P
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cal patient," or even %he emergency patient" is a much better way of describing one who is seriously ill or in, jured or who desires the services of the emergency de, p a r t m e n t . The word %mergent" should be confined to its more obvious definition, as in, "Emergency medicine is an e m e r g e n t specialty." This is a plea to emergency physicians to refrain from u s i n g the word %mergent" as a s y n o n y m of "emergency.', When a s y n o n y m is needed to describe a p a t i e n t in dire straits, "urgent" is preferable a n d less likely to cause misunderstanding. I do not argue t h a t our l a n g u a g e should b e static. In an a d v a n c i n g society it is necessary to add new words and change m e a n i n g s of old words, b u t care should be exer. cised. C h a n g i n g the language capriciously a n d without j u s t cause is diabolical. As M a r k T w a i n said, "It is uncivilized; it is u n A m e r i c a n ; it is u n E n g l i s h - - i t i s French."
Selwyn T. Hartley, MD College Park, Georgia
November 1976 J ~ P