Joker regrets ‘infelicity’ in use of metaphor

Noreen Boots Gocon-Gragasin was disturbed by what she referred to as “Joker’s disturbing language,” when Joker Arroyo responded to an Inquirer interview thus: “Congress allowed Malacañang to usurp its powers like a willing rape victim” (“Joker’s disturbing language,” Letters, 7/24/14).

Her reaction is understandable. However, Arroyo used the term not in its literal sense, but as a figure of speech defined by Collins English Dictionary as “an expression of language, such as simile, metaphor or personification, by which the usual language or literal meaning of a word is not employed.”

For those who share the hurt, as described by Gocon-Gragasin, Arroyo regrets the infelicity in the use of the metaphor which might be offensive to rape victims.

We are consoled, however, that she did not find fault in Arroyo’s assertion that “Congress willingly allowed Malacañang to usurp its powers.”

Relatedly, Arroyo fully agrees on the need for circumspection in the use of language. That is why when others interpreted President Aquino’s attack on the Supreme Court as a declaration of war, Arroyo said that what exists is a state of war, to distinguish it from a declaration of war.

—ABIGAIL L. HINTO, legislative staff,

Office of former senator Joker P. Arroyo