By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
March 11, 2003
After being roundly slammed by linguists, is it possible that Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst is just misunderstood?
In a heartfelt moment at last month’s Grammy Awards–rivaled only by his Web site postings in praise of Britney Spears–Durst expressed his antiwar sentiments: “I just really hope we’re all in agreeance that this war should go away as soon as possible.”
The ridicule came fast and furiously. Agreeance? Is that even a word, folks wondered?
Now someone is saying yes, it is. Sort of. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “agreeance” hasn’t been in use since the 1700s, but it is a word and Durst did use it correctly, says editor Jesse Sheidlower.
Other experts point out, however, that just as we don’t speak in Shakespearean prose, we also don’t use words such as “agreeance” in everyday speech.
“The only time I’ve seen ‘agreeance’ used is in a legal, antiquated way in contracts,” says Chicago-based literary agent Danielle Egan-Miller. “Contracts are full of words such as ‘herewith,’ which we also don’t use in normal conversation.”
Not that Durst is claiming to be a scholar. During an appearance on Howard Stern’s radio and TV show, Durst laughed about his choice of words and admitted he had actually meant to say “agreement.”
