Verbage

Many thanks to the Claire Bear for sending me the article from The New York Times that totally validates my becoming nonplussed over the incorrect usage of, well, nonplussed. This is from an article about the latest edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary:

"One of my favorites is 'nonplussed,' " he said. "It has always meant puzzled and confused, but we have evidence that in America some people use it to mean the opposite, as in 'sort of shaken but not stirred,' like 'He was doing his best to appear nonplussed.' " Mr. Stevenson flashed a conspiratorial look. "It's really a mistaken use," he said.