Loaded Journalism

hench·man (n.)
A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate.
A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests.
A member of a criminal gang.
Obsolete. A page to a prince or other person of high rank.

I pick up on certain buzz words and phrases that pop up in the main stream media and they start to drive crazy. I guess it goes back to my days in broadcast news writing classes (I have a degree in broadcast communications, don't ask me why). These are terms or constructions that are not used colloquially and only appear in news items, written and broadcast. In my classes, it was known as journalese.

Anyway, one that has been bugging me lately is the word "henchman" (or usually the plural "henchmen"). Currently, the word is most often used in association with Saddam Hussein's immediate underlings.

Its kind of a funny word, but has sinister overtones. I'm not saying Saddam's people weren't sinister, but is it really necessary to carry that editorializing into the news? And who uses that word anyway? It actually brings to my mind cartoon villains.

Here's a better way of putting it:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A judge and his lawyer son working with the special court
that will hear charges of human rights abuse against Saddam Hussein and
senior members of his government has been gunned down by insurgents,
sources said. [emphasis mine]

Of course, "hear charges" is a bit of journalese too I think, but that's beside the point.

So, the next time you come across a newsperson writing or reading about "henchmen", be amused. It really is a funny word.