The linguistic war over 'derp'
The meme-y word to describe a certain type of stupid is going mainstream, and the backlash is fierce
This week, the word "derp" went mainstream — and, according to some people with strong opinions, jumped the shark.
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman and Josh Barro at Business Insider both used derp and several of its variations — derpy, derpitude — in reference to Red State's Erick Erickson. That establishment appropriation of derp prompted Stefan Becket to write up a primer on the word at New York. "Derp? Derpy? What are these guys talking about?" he says, teeing up his explainer:
Becket continues with a lexical history of the word. The website Know Your Meme has a similarly helpful video on the word's origins, meanings, and popular growth:
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This was too much for Max Read at Gawker. "Seeing journalists talk about 'derpy' things and 'derpitude,' is a little like hearing your mom adopting slightly outdated slang," he says. "It's almost sweet. At first. In small doses." But ultimately, it's a sign we should put the word to rest. Please, Read pleads, "stop using the word 'derp.'"
Jen Doll at The Atlantic Wire piled on, and kicked the angst up a notch. "There will always be words that send shivers up our spines, or make us punch the wall in rage," she says, and "such a word, for me, is derp."
Well, for every reaction there is an equal and opposite counter-reaction, and that's certainly true with the word "derp." Contrary to the hate being heaped upon it, says Noah Smith at his blog, Noahpinion, "'derp' is incredibly useful as a term for an important concept for which the English language has no other word. It has to do with Bayesian probability."
That's right, "'derp' is a useful term for a concept that never had its own word," says Barro at Business Insider. And "since derp is on the rise, we need a term for it now more than ever."
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Before she started her anti-derp rant, The Atlantic Wire's Doll made the reasonable point that "it's not really reasonable to hate words." But she goes on to say that hating words, while irrational, is natural — and fun. And in the end, she agrees with Barro that "all the hating and loving of derp is not going to do a damn thing to change it." She doesn't connect the dots and point out that derp haters and defenders will both enjoy the fight.
Derp.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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