“Feisty:” Yeah, that must be the right word
Let us take a moment from my regular subjects, and point out something in an AP description of Hanan Ashrawi, who, as regular readers know, is no friend of mine:
HANAN ASHRAWI, 59. She emerged as a prominent figure in Palestinian politics during the first Palestinian uprising, which erupted in 1987. Eloquent and often feisty, she was official spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace talks 1991-93, and headed a committee responsible for Jerusalem’s citizens rights after the signing of the peace agreement. She was appointed minister of higher education in 1996, and quit her post in a high-profile rebuke to Arafat over corruption in 1998. A legislator in the outgoing parliament, she serves on a number of international bodies, including the Council of Foreign Relations. She is a member of the Palestinians’ Christian minority.
“Feisty.” This is a word used most often to describe a woman. This is a demeaning word, used when the writer can’t seem to use the words “strong,” “tough,” or “independent.” Its nearest relation is “spunky,” a word which, if used to describe me while I am at arms’ reach, often results in physical damage to the person using the word.
Feisty. Good choice, AP. If you’re Ward Cleaver.
