Bennett's Don'ts

James Gordon Bennett Jr.

Most of us probably have certain words and phrases that we try to avoid in both our speech and writing. We find them tacky, stilted, vulgar, whatever. James Gordon Bennett Jr., the celebrated publisher of the New York Herald who died 100 years ago this year, had the clout to require others to follow his particular biases, and Stanley Walker, once city editor of the New York Herald Tribune, listed some of these in his 1934 book City Editor.

"His 'Don'ts' were rigid, but most of them were sensible," Walker writes. Yet less than two decades after Bennett's death, Walker goes on to say that "many of his particular abominations are in almost universal use today, for better or worse."

All these decades later it is something of a mystery to try to determine why these prohibitions were once thought necessary and, if these usages were not permitted, what was considered proper? Were retired copy editors, and I am one, to have a reunion, this might even make an interesting party game.

Bennett's Don'ts

Don't call a theatrical performance a "show."

Presumably this term was once thought too lowbrow, yet within decades such phrases as "the show must go on," "there's no business like show business" and "let's put on a show" were commonly heard, either in or about theatrical performances.

Don't apply "schedule" to the movement of persons, as "Ambassador Bacon was scheduled to leave Vienna."

Presumably Ambassador Bacon planned to leave Vienna. His departure, however, was scheduled.

Don't use "New Yorker." 

The New Yorker started publishing in 1925. Interestingly, that magazine has long been noted for its own list of Don'ts for editors and writers.

Don't use "week-end" or "over Saturday."

As for "over Saturday," Bennett was a winner there. Do you ever hear anyone say that? But how would we manage without "weekend?" My own newspaper had a weekly section called Weekend.

Don't use "guest of honor" or "maid of honor."

So what terms do you suppose Bennett considered proper?

Don't use "gang" or "gangster."

Walker wonders what Bennett would have thought of the term mobster, common by 1935. Today gangster seems dated.

Don't us "diplomat"; use "diplomatist."

Diplomatist? Diplomats today would probably give you a funny look if you called them that.

Don't use "plan" except in connection with drawn architectural or engineering plans. Do not use it as a verb.

So I guess Ambassador Bacon didn't plan to leave Vienna after all.

Don't use (hotel) "patron" or "guest."

I think I may understand Bennet's dislike of the idea of a "hotel guest." The term guest suggests that somebody else will be paying the bill. But if a hotel staff member refers to you as their guest, guess whose credit card is going to be charged? The term patron doesn't sound right either for a hotel, though perhaps for a hotel gift shop. But lodger now sounds old-fashioned, and resident seems too permanent for someone just staying a night or two.