Stay the Course
Since Bush 41, it's become the idiom of choice for politicians of either party who wish the country to continue pursuing their pet policy. "Stay the course," they urge, gravely. The implicit negative seems to be, "Don't panic. Don't be a quitter."
At the moment, I'm not interested in the merits of those policies. I just want to know: does anybody know what "stay the course" means?
I can tell you I've heard or read at least 4 different accounts of its origin and meaning. First, there's the one its political invokers presuppose: it's a nautical metaphor, meaning don't change course. Second, there's the one those politicians' opponents offer: it's a nautical metaphor whose origin was a phrase for tying off the wheel or rudder so the ship could be left to steer itself without veering off course; in other words, it means nobody is at the helm. Third, there's the one offered by the New York Times' resident grammar and etymology crank, William Safire, who agrees its a nautical metaphor, but adds with a chuckle that it can mean either don't change course, or stop going in the direction you're going. And lastly, there's the one that says it doesn't come from sailing at all, but from horse racing, where it doesn't refer precisely to direction, but to just finishing the race.
In true Mikeyan form, I have no point here. Unless it's that I'm the kind of person who finds this kind of thing interesting and amusing. If I tried, I think I could make a point about original intent arguments, or where meaning lies in a text or phrase. But it's a lazy late-summer Saturday in the South, and I'm not inclined to think about it quite that hard. I've accomplished exactly nothing all day, and if there's one thing I can say with absolute confidence, it's that I intend to stay the course.
At the moment, I'm not interested in the merits of those policies. I just want to know: does anybody know what "stay the course" means?
I can tell you I've heard or read at least 4 different accounts of its origin and meaning. First, there's the one its political invokers presuppose: it's a nautical metaphor, meaning don't change course. Second, there's the one those politicians' opponents offer: it's a nautical metaphor whose origin was a phrase for tying off the wheel or rudder so the ship could be left to steer itself without veering off course; in other words, it means nobody is at the helm. Third, there's the one offered by the New York Times' resident grammar and etymology crank, William Safire, who agrees its a nautical metaphor, but adds with a chuckle that it can mean either don't change course, or stop going in the direction you're going. And lastly, there's the one that says it doesn't come from sailing at all, but from horse racing, where it doesn't refer precisely to direction, but to just finishing the race.
In true Mikeyan form, I have no point here. Unless it's that I'm the kind of person who finds this kind of thing interesting and amusing. If I tried, I think I could make a point about original intent arguments, or where meaning lies in a text or phrase. But it's a lazy late-summer Saturday in the South, and I'm not inclined to think about it quite that hard. I've accomplished exactly nothing all day, and if there's one thing I can say with absolute confidence, it's that I intend to stay the course.
posted by juvenal_urbino | 12:00 PM
1 Comments:
I like it: Mikeyan. I've often wondered how future generations would refer to my philisophical musings.
I'd settle for someone of either party to simply say something intelligent from time to time. Although I've been waiting on that for a while.
Also, as a rule, I simply ignore everything Safire says. The guy's a jerk, from my one time meeting him. Maybe I'm just too judgmental.
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