Re Re

In the sense of “doing/undoing” we can pay and re-pay, fund and re-fund, call (as to elected office) and re-call (from it), perhaps even act and re-act. In the sense of “doing again” we can use and re-use, set and re-set, boot and re-boot. But no one peals what a reformer seeks to re-peal; no one has ever peated before re-peating, nor nounced before re-nouncing. Nor can I gress, pugn, cline, or volve, although I can re- them all.

Perhaps you have not marked on it, perhaps mine is the first port you have seen, but re- words have spread silently, nigh insidiously through the language. It is now time to trieve our position, to pair the damage by sisting or, at least, gulating the use of a treacherously misleading syllable that wrongly suggests counter or petitive action. I believe the sult will flect or veal an earlier, more pristine form: a turn to simpler times.

Does a tort spring to your lips? Strain yourself. I ject the position that such a change is impossible; I buff any such suggestion. Instead, I vel in, and would spectfully mind you of, the language’s demonstrated capacity to view, vise, and fine itself. I am sure it is not too late to ctify this illogical feature of English. I believe I have connoitered the situation from every angle; hearsed the best sponse to every challenge.

Perhaps you coil from the effort quired. St assured, if you choose not to help, to cuse yourself from the fight and to pose yourself instead, I will yet main your friend: I will not seek any venge. Neither will I primand you. For the cord, I will continue to gard you with affection, and will sign myself to your absence on this journey.

But for my part I am ady and would lish your help in seeking a medy, so I hope you will lent. I would ceive your help graciously and hope this quest sonates with you. For what it’s worth, I see the campaign as much less than a volt or a bellion. It is more like a timely intervention by a dispassionate but committed feree, and yet our efforts may well verberate through the generations to come.

And our own ward as we watch these words cede from everyday usage, linquishing their place to more-sensible options? Think of the trospective stories with which we can gale our grandchildren and other latives! Think of our proud plies to their question:

What did you do in the great pulse of re?