Do You Feel Lucky?

(and feel free to comment! My older posts are certainly no less relevant to the burning concerns of the day.)

Monday, June 08, 2009

I Always Want to Say "Electrocution"

...when I'm referring only to being shocked by electricity. Which is not correct: "electrocution" means you have been shocked to death (by electricity, not by impropriety, although that would be pretty awesome!).

But if we're getting all technical, I think it should be even more specific than that. The original term was coined during the time that electricity was being developed as a possible method of "humane execution" (well, it was to replace hanging), and it is clearly meant to convey deliberate execution (electric + execution = "electricution") rather than just a simple accidental death. It's nonsense to speak of a bolt of lightning "executing" someone, any more than you would refer to a fatal snakebite as "lethal injection."

Of course, it would be technically accurate either way.

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