Nonplussed and bemused, followed by meh.

Add bemused to the list of words -- like nonplussed -- that seem to be morphing before our eyes.

The Boston Globe found several instances of political reporters writing that Barack Obama appeared to be "bemused" in debates. The context seemed to mean he was wryly amused. But bemused acutally means confused or puzzled.

Nonplussed also means confused or puzzled or taken aback -- not "nonchalant" or "unperturbed," as it's often used. (And as this blog has noted before!!)

What does this imply? Some deep-seated, society-wide revulsion to being confused? So much so that we must expunge the notion from the very language? Maybe, but probably not.

In other lexiconic news, RF would like me to note that "Meh" has gained a place in next year's dictionaries. It's an expression of indifference or apathy, supposedly originating with "The Simpsons." Homer asks Bart and Lisa, who are watching TV, if they want to go on a day trip. They say, "Meh," and keep watching TV.

I suspect "meh" was in circulation long before "The Simpsons." It sounds to me like it could be Yiddish or Italian, but that's just a gut feeling. I have no linguistic evidence to proffer.

I'm nonplussed, too!

Meghan Daum has a wonderful column in the Los Angeles Times, headlined "I'm nonplussed, maybe":

I need to say something. And even though I'm going to refrain from typing in all caps, I urge you to pretend I did.

The word "nonplussed" does not mean unfazed, unperturbed or unconcerned. I know just about everyone uses it that way, but I really wish they'd stop.

"Nonplussed" comes from the Latin non plus, meaning "no more," which landed almost intact in English as "nonplus," meaning "a state in which no more can be said or done."

The standard definition of "nonplussed" is "bewildered, confused or perplexed." Got that?

Read the complete column here.
I couldn't agree more, and -- I will use all caps here -- I see "nonplussed" misused ALL THE TIME. I've almost (almost) given up on being upset about it. Daum interviews a linguist about how words change meaning sometimes -- they seem to "evolve" in some cases -- which is very interesting.
Daum also wrote a brainy chick-lit novel called The Quality of Life Report, about a Manhattanite who relocates to Nebraska looking for greater meaning in life and cheap rents. She also wrote a memorable essay for The New Yorker about going broke in New York (abstract here), hence her real-life move to Nebraska.)And finally here's an interesting article about how she got from Nebraska to Los Angeles.