Kellyanne Conway’s Use of “Alternative Facts” Causes a Spike on Merriam-Webster Website
As a high school English teacher, I often find myself consulting the dictionary to make sure I am precise in my usage of obscure words.
“Fact” and “falsehood” are not on my obscure word list.
In a January 22, 2017, exchange with Chuck Todd of NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump whisperer Kellyanne Conway tries to shift usage of the word “falsehood” to her newly-spun term, “alternative facts” in reference to Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s first press conference.
One of Spicer’s “alternative facts” lies involved his stating the following:
This was the largest audience, ever, to witness an inauguration, period.
Here is the exchange between Todd and Conway:
Conway: “You’re saying it’s [Spicer’s statement about inauguration crowd size is] a falsehood, and Sean Spicer, our press secretary is giving alternative facts to that.”Todd: “Wait a minute, alternative facts? Alternative facts — four of the five facts he uttered, the one that he got right was Zeke Miller, four of the five facts he uttered are not true. Alternative facts are not facts — they’re falsehoods.”
What is interesting is what the Merriam-Webster website has to add concerning the Kellyanne Conway’s Use of “Alternative Facts” Causes a Spike on Merriam-Webster Website | deutsch29: