Remember on Sesame Street where they would often highlight a letter of the day? Each day, the characters would focus on items that began with that letter. It was very exciting when it was E for Ernie or B for Bert or C for Cookie Monster!
It feels like we’ve had a letter that has become the focal point for too many words dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. That letter is u.
In the vernacular of younger people today (and by younger people, I mean anyone who does this, even if you are older than me), the letter u is an easy abbreviation for the much-harder-to-write word “you.” Because it’s really tough to add those two extra letters and look somewhat educated with your ability to spell a first-grade-level word.
Thus, I wasn’t much enamored with the letter u to begin with. However, now we keep seeing the same words used over and over that all begin with this letter, and I’m just sick and tired of them. Let’s review.
Unprecedented - This might be the most overused word of 2020. Yes, we realize that we are dealing with something the likes of which we’ve never seen before. The earth has endured pandemics in the past, but this seems like it’s really doing a number on us like nothing has before, maybe in part because of the 24-hour news cycle that keeps feeding us every tiny detail. Can we stop using unprecedented to describe every new wrinkle though? The point has been made. Here are some suggestions for other words to use instead: extraordinary, remarkable, freakish, or bizarre.
Unsettling - Of course we aren’t feeling very settled when we’re social distancing or sheltering in place. We are a mobile society, and most people enjoy moving about and interacting with others. Some folks are right at home because they are introverted, and more power to them. Let’s stop using this word, largely because it makes me feel less settled just seeing it in print. Instead, how about disconcerting, startling, worrisome, or troubling?
Underlying - This word has been used often to refer to those with medical conditions that might make them more susceptible to the virus. That’s understandable, but we’re also seeing many people become sick who do not have underlying problems. Possible alternate words: concealed, veiled, and hidden.
Unconventional - Many businesses are going about things in new ways, doing elements of the job in a different fashion. Are they unconventional? Sure, just like our distance learning in schools. However, we’ve seen for years how more people are telecommuting and more people are learning virtually. It works for some people while conventional ways tend to work for the majority. Still, every new way of trying something was unconventional at some point, like using cars to get somewhere. Some different words we could use: atypical, eccentric, or offbeat.
Unfortunate - Our seniors are missing the best months of their lives so far. Prom is gone. Elementary students can’t hug their teachers. Sports have been wiped away for now. These are all unfortunate. But what about the fortunate things? The air is becoming cleaner, the weather is getting nicer, and we’re seeing people be very generous in helping others. Does the bad outweigh the good? For now, yes, but let’s come out of this raring and ready to be a better society that looks for the positive. Let’s try by writing different versions of this word: adverse, lamentable, and regrettable.
Understanding - We need to be understanding of what the government asks of us. We should understand the difficulties of certain occupations. Everyone understands the strain of the medical community. I even find myself using this word too much when I meet with students. I need to find some new ways of saying this in my classroom: realizing, grasping, and fathoming.
Uncertain - We live in uncertain times. Don’t we always? None of us can predict what will happen tomorrow with certainty. Meteorologists are uncertain, even on their best days. I wish I could say when sports will return or if we’ll be able to start school normally in the fall or if I can go to my normal polling place in November. But all we can do is speculate, just as I do every year I predict the Vikings might break through and win a Super Bowl. Here are some other words instead: ambiguous, hazy, and precarious.
Perhaps I’m getting a bit ornery with all this by my unprecedented dislike of the letter u. I do hope my readers and your families and friends are faring okay during all of this. Better times are ahead. Soon, we’ll just look back at these unprecedented, unsettling, unfortunate events with underlying understanding and still be uncertain about the future.
Word of the Week: This week’s word is ululation, which means a howling or wailing, as in, “The ululation rose loudly when the reader realized he could no longer use words that start with u.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!