Edward Still at VoteLaw has been wondering when the “mainstream press” is going to start using the term “blogs” without quotation marks. Today, he is pleased to see that Dan Froomkin used the word “bloggers” in a Washington Post column – thus presenting me with the opportunity to leave the following Comment at his site:
If “blog” sounded like an actual word, the mainstream media and populace would be far more likely to remove the quotation marks. My guess is that Froomkin is willing to use “bloggers” without quotation marks, because it looks and sounds a bit more like something other than onomatopoeic slang for vomiting.
The best way to get the quotation marks removed by the mainstream is for “webloggers” or “webjournalists” to start using nomenclature that communicates meaning to folks outside the clique. Most of the public and press could live with and understand “weblogs.” Why not go back to that more meaningful and less revolting terminology?
This is, of course, a pet peeve of mine. See, Does Blog Jargon Turn Off Outsiders?. Say “weblog” or “web journal” and you’ll connect with far more people and make the world a little less ugly.