Expert: Adam D. McDonald - 6/15/2006

Question
Howdy, In diplomatic messages the wording appears to be of vital importance in the sense of, if a country is "concerned" about the behavior of another nation, it means, ho-hum. If on the otherhand they state that they are "gravely concerned", it means that the bombers are already in the air. Or something to that matter. What I am looking for is a glossery, dictionary, listing, of what the words and wording used and heard in daily newsbroadcasts really mean.

                   Thank you for your efforts

                                 John  

Answer
Hi John,

Thank you for your question.

I'd say there probably isn't a "dictionary" anywhere in the sense of a formal listing of phrases. It's a matter of learning the "code," in the same way that the English language has any number of nuances.

Tom Clancy probably makes the best attempt at defining those phrases, which is where, I suspect, your question comes from.

Unfortunately, I do not have a suggestion as to where you might start looking.

Good luck.

Adam