View from the North 40: It's about words, all the way down

I stumbled across an old bookmark on my web browser to a 2014 article about 69 words and phrases General Motors executives told employees not to use in descriptions of GM automobiles, which were experiencing undisclosed problems due to a faulty ignition switch which ended up causing vehicle crashes for more than a decade – serious crashes, causing life-threatening and permanent injuries and even deaths.

Corporate scandal, a language ban that includes the words “always,” “chaotic,” “rolling sarcophagus” and “you’re toast” – no, I’m not kidding – how did I not write...