Today's Broadcast

Topic: Patriotism & nationalism

According to Doctor Samuel Johnson, patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Perhaps that eighteenth century lexicographer chose the word patriotism because nationalism had yet to be coined. But when a young twenty-first century friend—awho follows politics and who cares about language—asked for the distinction between patriotism and nationalism, we paused.

The term patriotism—referring to "love for or devotion to one's country"; or to "the virtues and actions of a patriot"—first appeared in print in the early 18th century. In Ancient Greek, patrios meant "of one's father," or "of or characteristic of one's forefathers"; patriot names "a person who loves his country and defends and promotes its interests."  The same word may also be used to denote "a person who advocates independence for his or her people as distinct from the country of which it is a part," or "a person who remains loyal to his or her country when it is occupied by an enemy."

Nationalism, meaning "loyalty and devotion to one's nation," did not appear in English print until more than a century later. By the turn of the 20th century, nationalism's less admirable sense had joined the lexicon: "a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups."

Questions or comments? Write us at wftw@aol.com Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and Web sites including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.