From the New York Times
Sotomayor Fans Claim the Phrase ‘Wise Latina’
By Mireya Navarro
The phrase by itself was a compliment.
Then it became a term of derision for some political commentators, bloggers and senators.
And now, “Wise Latina” is a catchphrase emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs and baby bibs, and a moniker for any number of new Facebook groups....
But it remains to be seen whether the phrase galvanizes a movement or just becomes a memorable quotation.
Geoffrey Nunberg, a linguist at the University of California, Berkeley [School of Information], said words that catch on usually give voice to a sentiment that’s already brewing in the culture — such as the “Black is beautiful” slogan that celebrates black people’s natural features.
“ ‘Wise Latina’ crystallizes that sense of how Latinas see themselves or want to be seen,” he said.
But such phrases have limited power to spur change, he noted, although Republicans may want “wise Latina” quickly forgotten if it reminds voters of criticism by some senators that was deemed unfair.
“It’s connected to the question of whether this is going to cost Latino votes,” he said....