Sunday, June 04, 2006
Dept. of Neologisms
This week has seen plenty of gnashing of teeth over a Sunday Times of London article revealing that "Britain's biggest bookseller is demanding payments of £50,000 a week from publishers to get books on its supposedly impartial list of 'recommended' reads in the run-up to Christmas this year."
The issue of "co-op" money gets an occasional airing in this country too, accompanied by astonished reactions of customer betrayal. Then everybody forgets it again, 12 to 18 months pass, and the same story runs again with different bestsellers fingered. Cue astonished reactions of customer betrayal.
To stick in people's minds, what this phenomenon needs is a name. "Co-op" just doesn't do it. Co-op sounds nice, like kindergarteners sharing wheat paste -- or desirable, like a Manhattan prewar apt w/ mod cons -- or crunchy and wholesome, like hippies with reusable burlap bags buying a pound of granola.
Might I instead suggest....
It's catchy! It's retro! It's at a store near you!
The issue of "co-op" money gets an occasional airing in this country too, accompanied by astonished reactions of customer betrayal. Then everybody forgets it again, 12 to 18 months pass, and the same story runs again with different bestsellers fingered. Cue astonished reactions of customer betrayal.
To stick in people's minds, what this phenomenon needs is a name. "Co-op" just doesn't do it. Co-op sounds nice, like kindergarteners sharing wheat paste -- or desirable, like a Manhattan prewar apt w/ mod cons -- or crunchy and wholesome, like hippies with reusable burlap bags buying a pound of granola.
Might I instead suggest....
READOLA
It's catchy! It's retro! It's at a store near you!
