[Editors] Fwd: Re: talking the walk?

[Sheela Hulsoor]

Hello All, 

Great discussion!  I can report that "walking the talk" is working at LNS.
Whether the phrase is correct or not doesn't seem to matter.  What's
important is that people are acting on it and making much needed change.  

There's a wonderful PBS series on the history of the English language.
Language is fluid and organic and constantly changes.  It is rooted in
cultures.  Garner's Modern American Usage doesn't cover the phrase "walk the
talk", but they might reply to an email inquiry.  

In the meantime, I'm happy to see that several people have responded to this
call for action and hope that more will follow.

Sheela Marston
LNS

-----Original Message-----
From: editors-bounces at MIT.EDU [mailto:editors-bounces at MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of
Emily Ranken
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 10:37 AM
To: editors at mit.edu
Subject: Re: [Editors] Fwd: Re: talking the walk?

>From the environmental perspective, walking the talk has been used to refer
to the idea that not only are we doing research on energy conservation,
better batteries, alternative energy sources, etc., but we are also, as a
community, working on energy conservation, building greener buildings, etc.,
applying some of the technology we are trying to develop or that already
exists.  I know the expression may seem trite, but it really is a big deal. 

Emily Ranken
EHS, MIT  

-----Original Message-----
From: editors-bounces at MIT.EDU [mailto:editors-bounces at MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of
Eve Sullivan
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:50 AM
To: editors at MIT.EDU
Subject: [Editors] Fwd: Re: talking the walk?

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for replying so quickly and confirming my opinion.

The phrase 'walk the talk' just plain curls my teeth.  I hate it and
hope that whoever started using the phrase will now stop.  It just
sounds dumb, in my un-humble opinion.  We are not dumb here,
are we?  Well, actually in some ways we are, but I will leave the
Charm School pitch for another time.

Regards and again thanks to all,

Eve

From: Michelle Gaseau...
walking the walk is the phrase I know.

From: Laurie Everett <leverett at MIT.EDU>
HI Eve
I agree.  I also this this is one of the most overused phrases of our 
time, and it is really tiresome.
The photo on the news site is of turnstiles at Alewife.  Those have 
been gone for a year or two.  Makes you think the folks that chose 
the photo don't take the T.
Doesn't help the cause, does it?
Laurie

From: William T G Litant...
You mean the spotlight about T passes with the photo of a New York 
(or is it Chicago) subway? I believe the correct phrase is "talking 
the talk and walking the walk."
you think about it, "talking the walk" doesn't make a lot of sense, 
unless you are Dan Quayle.

>From: Franklin E.W. Hadley...
>Maybe it's because I'm over here on the edge of campus - verging on 
>the outside world, as it were - but it certainly sounds rather 
>strange to me.
>Honestly, if I came upon it in an article without this sort of 
>warning, I'd think it was an error rather than a clever play.
>-Franklin
>
>From: David Chandler...
>>"Walk the walk" is common usage, I think, but MIT has been using 
>>the "walk the talk" slogan for at least a couple of years, and I 
>>think it certainly works. I guess it's a sort of play on the more 
>>conventional version.
>>So it depends who the listener is. On campus, I think walk the talk 
>>is well accepted. For the outside world, it might be confusing.
>>David
>>
>>On Jul 31, 2008, at 9:05 AM, Eve Sullivan wrote:
>>>reading the spotlight on our homepage this morning http://web.mit.edu
>>>      . . . In addition to the new commuting options, MIT is hiring a
>>>      commuting coordinator who will develop, implement and maintain a
>>>      top-tier commuter services program in keeping with the Institute's
>>>      stated goal of "walking the talk" on energy and the environment. .
. .
>>>i wondered about the phrase 'walking the talk.'  i thought that the
>>>correct phrase is 'walking the walk' ...as in 'all he does is talk the
>>>talk: he doesn't walk the walk.'
>>>what do you hear, say, read and/or write, esteemed colleagues?
>>>eve sullivan
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