“The Colbert Report” host Stephen Colbert officially placed Michael Adams, an N.C. State professor specializing in lexicology, on his “On Notice” board during his show Monday night for defining the word of the year, “truthiness,” as “truthy, not facty” in an Associated Press article.
“Truthiness” was Colbert’s word of the day in the first episode of the show, when he claims he created the word.
“You see, the Associated Press article announcing this prestigious award, written by one Heather Clark, had a glaring omission: me,” Colbert said during his show Monday. “I’m not mentioned, despite the fact that truthiness is a word I pulled right out of my keister.”
Adams, however, said that Colbert didn’t invent the word.
“First of all, ‘truthiness’ was already a word … it’s in the Oxford English Dictionary, so his claim that he invented it is a little untrue,” Adams said. “But the meaning in the OED is not the same as the one he gives. I mean, how can we complain about him being angry about coining a word that he didn’t really coin but that he believes he coined?”
Colbert, proving he did his research, addressed Adams.
“First of all, I looked him up. He’s not a professor, he’s a visiting associate professor,” Colbert said. “And second, it means a lot more than that, Michael. I don’t know what you’re getting taught over there in English 201 and 324 over at Tompkins Hall, Wolfpack. But it isn’t truthiness.”
Colbert then brought out his “On Notice” board, where there were entries like, “grizzly bears,” “Black hole at center of galaxy” and “Barbra Streisand.”
“Visiting associate professor Michael Adams: you, sir, are on notice,” Colbert said. He puts Adams’ name on the board after making room by removing the “E Street Band.”
“OK, there it is. Deal with it,” he said.
Sophomore Lara Anderson, majoring in zoology, said she saw the N.C. State logo appear on television and said she was surprised that the show was addressing the University.
“I think it makes our school look like we’re not very competent,” Anderson said. “And now I think it’s another reason for UNC students to make fun of us.”
Adams said he can’t think of any greater honor than to be placed on Colbert’s “On Notice” board. He also said that he owes Colbert thanks.
“It was absolutely hilarious and I’d probably say thank you more than anything else, not just on behalf of me, but of the American Dialect Society as well,” Adams said.
Adams said he probably wouldn’t be responding to Colbert anytime soon.
“I think responding to him would be about as profitable as responding to Bill O’Reilly — I think it would be a big mistake and I don’t want to get sucked into that,” he said with a laugh.
Adams said that when a word is successful and people start to use it, lexicographers examine how the word is used and define it. Walt Wolfram, English department head and former president of the American Dialect Society, said he agrees with Adams.
“The Colbert Report says, ‘We coined the word so we define it,'” Wolfram said. “Lexicographers define words, not ‘The Colbert Report.'”
