For those of you who are not in the writing business, Roget’s Thesaurus is the most-used dictionary-like book where we writers look for different words that mean the same or similar meanings. It is used constantly by probably almost every English language writer in the world. Now Roget’s is online and is provided in essence by writing applications such as Microsoft Word.
That Roget’s now considers “right-wing” and “right” to have meaning similar to “obstructionist” and “reactionary,” and its opposite meaning to be carried by the words “liberal,” “left-wing” and “progressive” is outrageous beyond words.
Below is from National Review today:
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Thesaurus Synonyms for ‘Obstructionist’ Include ‘Right-winger,’ ‘Rightist,’ ‘Tory’
By Andrew Johnson
July 24, 2014 4:41 PM
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Apparently only conservatives and others on the right can be obstructionists, according to Roget’s Thesaurus.
A search for synonyms of “obstructionist” on Thesaurus.com, which cites Roget’s, reveals that the source considers several words related to conservative and right-leaning political stances to fit the definition of a “person who is cautious, moderate; an opponent of change.” Under antonyms, it lists left-leaning words.
Included in the list of obstructionist synonyms are “right-winger,” “right,” and “rightist” and ”Tory,” the British conservative party.
Other synonyms listed for obstructionst are “traditionalist,” “conserver,” “conventionalist,” “unprogressive,” and “redneck.”
In its section for antonyms for obstructionist, “left-winger,” “liberal,” and “progressive” are listed.
This is the second time in recent weeks that a reference book has equated a negative quality with conservatism. Earlier this month, the Daily Caller found that both the Oxford English and Merriam-Webster dictionaries included “right-wing” and “conservatism,” respectively, in their definitions of “bigotry.”