Cartographically Dyslexic
Posted by R. Berg on December 16, 2002
In Reply to: Cartographically Dyslexic posted by ESC on December 16, 2002
: : : I'm having an argument with my American husband about the
expression "Cartographically Dyslectic" (meaning, of course, the
male species inability to follow directions). He swears it's an
American expression in common usage whereas I believe it was coined
by the expatriated British labour activist/poet Michael Aidan (famed
for the observation: "If tradition is the only reason for doing
something, there is no reason to do it").
: : : Can anybody enlighten ONE of us?
: : : Thanks,
: : : Kathy O'Brien
: : I'm as up for a good leg-pull as the next guy, but .... no, it's not really in common usage. It's almost a useful phrase, though, except for two flaws: it's "dyslexic," not "dyslectic" ... and the problem is not dyslexia-related. That is to say, members of our testosterone-challenged gender are indeed ABLE to read the maps - we simply refuse to open them. We know HOW to ask for directions - we're just biologically, genetically, incapable of asking. So a better term might zero in on the root causes. Perhaps cartophobic, or eastwestavoidant, or signpost-blind. "I know we're going the wrong way, but we're making good time."
: Another word for that is "lost." Rosanne says men are good at reading maps because males are the ones that came up with the concept that one inch equals a mile.
"Cartographically dyslexic" gets zero hits on Google--strong evidence that it's not a common expression, American or otherwise. "Cartographically challenged" gets 79 hits, a low number for Google. So, if your husband switches to the latter phrase, he'll have moved to a rarely heard expression from an unheard-of one. I predict, however, that after five years you'll become very tired of hearing him use it.
- Cartographically Dyslexic Shae 12/16/02