Close the gates already

[Citizen James]

Consider this a rant

Why do people consider it nessisary to affix a -gate to to end of any potential scandal.   Contra-gate, monica-gate, rather-gate, WMD-gate, enviro-gate...  It goes on and on.

The watergate scandal centered around the cover up of a botched robbery at the Watergate hotel (for those who slept through history).  There is nothing in the suffix gate which makes it appropriate for just any scandal.  It's like partisans on both sides want to relive/revenge the watergate scandal because they have hopes for big gains.

But if we're going to recycle terminology from old scandals, why not mix it up a bit - perhaps we could start adding 'dome' in honor of the teapot dome scandal?

Rather-dome, enviro-dome, Monica-dome, AWOL-dome...

hmmm...  Makes about as much sense really.

</rant>

[DA]

<comment> to your </rant> just to see you go off some more.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

It's just the same process of back formation that led to the -holic suffix as is chocoholic, etc.  It's perfectly normal, even if it is irritating.  Basically, as a society, we've gotten to the point where the English language needs an one syllable affix instead of a six syllable phrase to indicate a "political scandal"  and -gate has been chosen.  Live with it.  The English language is still a living language and it doesn't always grow in ways that are logical or euphonious.

[Gabu]

It's just the same process of back formation that led to the -holic suffix as is chocoholic, etc.  It's perfectly normal, even if it is irritating.  Basically, as a society, we've gotten to the point where the English language needs an one syllable affix instead of a six syllable phrase to indicate a "political scandal"  and -gate has been chosen.  Live with it.  The English language is still a living language and it doesn't always grow in ways that are logical or euphonious.

Yes, just like we need to ensure that all postal workers are gruntled.