LibSpeak

Ever wonder how phrases get invented? It probably starts by someone claiming it's a truism, and/or that it's been around for a long time. Case in point: a letter to the editor in today's Sun Chronicle arguing for a law banning spanking. Forget for the moment where you stand on that issue, just listen to the following quote: "Keep in mind the tried and true ancient maxim: Use the rod, abuse the child." Now seriously, have you EVER heard that before? Not that Google is the final arbiter of speech today, but I tried Googling that "ancient maxim" and it turned up NO hits. (Of course now that I've posted this, there probably will be one hit - to this blog!)

Yes, there is a similar phrase, and that one really is an "ancient maxim." It is "spare the rod, spoil the child." It's from the Bible. And it means the complete opposite of the letter writer's version. Newspeak indeed.