Before September 2017, few English speakers, perhaps with exception of English scholars and historical linguists, had heard of the word dotard, which means…
DOTARD – noun – an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile.
But when Kim Jung Un, the dictatorial leader of the hermit state of North Korea labeled U.S. President Donald Trump “dotard”, it got a new lease on life in the modern English lexicon. And attached to the 71 year old erratic and unconventional U.S. leader, it has gain new life as a commonly spoken contemporary word.
Here is what Kim Jong said:
tktktktktkt
See the video:
Indeed, since being sworn into office in Jan. 2017, more than once have pundits wondered if indeed Trump is a true dotard. His mental capacity and fitness to govern has been called into question by many, even those in the GOP, his own party.
The dotardity of Donald Trump
Let look at his dotardity.
Trump has trouble string a coherent thought together in most speeches. Without a teleprompter, his sentences are childlike and incoherent at times.
For example, on his lack of focus on Puerto Rico and its struggle to recover from Hurricane Maria, he said:
“It’s the most difficult job because it’s on the island, it’s on an island in the middle of the ocean. It’s out in the ocean — you can’t just drive your trucks there from other states.”
He has trouble finding his limo. See this video of him disembarking Air Force One and walking past a waiting car, oblivious to the fact it is there for him. Some called this sundowning behavior.
Now, those that defend him might suggest he was just pre-occupied or in a funk that day, after all his crises are many. But the odd, erratic and unfocused behavior suggests that dotard may not be an inaccurate moniker to attach to him.
Andy Walker
Latest posts by Andy Walker (see all)
- The story of a dotard - October 3, 2017
