Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed that a three letter word in our language is being used less and less often?

I listen to a variety of shows on National Public Radio and enjoy some of the political discussions on Diane Rehm and Talk of the Nation. NPR and some of the local public radio shows give me a chance to learn about new books as authors are interviewed; some of which I add to my book list for the next trip to the library. There's a treasure trove of listening out there, but I have come to realize that "absolutely" and "exactly" are the new words for a simple "yes". Have you noticed? Why is that?

"Yes" is a perfectly good word. It means "to give an affirmative response". By not responding with a yes, and using "absolutely" you have to wonder if there has been so much fudging of facts and equivocating with responses that yes has lost its true meaning. To make sure that they are understood, someone being interviewed has to show they are truthful (though they may not be) by saying "absolutely" where "yes" should have been sufficient. Do they think they sound more intelligent with their choice of a longer word where the three letter word was perfectly fine for an answer? A concise, simple response is always better. Let's get back to using "yes". Don't you agree? (I hope you said yes!)