'Misunderestimated' Bushisms 'Resignate'

Jan. 21, 2003 -- -- Don't "misunderestimate" President Bush's "embettered" English. Bushisms are big business and worthy of "analyzation."

A talking Bush doll, a Bushisms calendar and several best-selling books celebrate the president's unique gift of gab.

Whether it's pronouncing nuclear as "NOO-kyuh-luhr," botching speeches, or coining new words like "Hispanically," Bush just seems to "resignate" with Americans.

President Rivals Dilbert

The 2003 George W. Bush Quote Calendar has became a national sensation, selling more than 110,000 copies in the last two months, and joining such perennial powerhouses as Dilbert and The Far Side on Barnes & Noble and Calendars.com's Top 10 lists.

Bush's mangled words are even finding their way into the English language. "Misunderestimate" tops the list of 2002's new words, according to YourDictionary.com.

There are more than 10,000 references to "misunderestimate" on the Internet. Even if the word is often used as a joke, the president's impact is unmistakable, editors say.

For those of you not fluent in Bush-speak, the Web site offers these definitions. Examples of their usage are offered here as documented by Jacob Weisberg's best sellers Bushisms and More Bushisms.

• Misunderestimate: To seriously underestimate. Usage: "They misunderestimated me." (Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000)

• Embetter: To make better. Usage: "I want to thank the … people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves." (Washington, D.C., April 18, 2002)

• Resignate: To resonate. Usage: "This issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people." (Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000)

• Foreign-handed: To understand foreign policy. Bush usage: "I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy." (Redwood, Calif., Sept. 27, 2000)

• Analyzation: Analysis. Bush usage: "This case has had full analyzation and has been looked at a lot. I understand the emotionality of death penalty cases." (June 23, 2000)