Sanction

     Listening to more coverage of the ever-changing events in Egypt, I am struck by one word.
     Sanction.
     The word, "sanction," is not new to a diplomat, who might be exploring possible responses to events in Egypt.  What the possible choices are is not important here.  That is not my point.
      In situations of civil unrest, for lack of a better term, we are critical of those who do not share our democratic ideals.  We are critical of how they communicate.  Yet, I think our own language--American English--provides food for thought.    
     Whenever I hear the word, "sanction," I am struck by what sanction means.  Grammatically, "sanction" can be either a noun, or a verb.  As a noun, it is said that sanction was first used in the 1560s to mean, "confirmation or enactment of a law," from L. sanctionem (nom. sanctio).
     Yet, we do not hold true to the meaning of sanction today.  We speak of imposing sanctions as a negative action--a punishment--for some misstep that has been taken. In so speaking, we are not saying that we are "imposing the conformation or enactment of a law."
      Sanction is used as a verb, as well.  We sanction events.  We sanction competitions.  Both are positive statements asserting support.
      I am not an apologist for Egypt.  Yet, as we criticize how another society--another political leader--communicates, we need to understand some of the ways we communicate more clearly.  If we listen to the words we use in our daily lives, and life as a society, then we are more prepared to understand, and communicate with other people.