Yippy? Is there perhaps a better word to justify a tariff pause?

April 17th, 2025 5:09 AM

Also, yippy sounds like a slang word a high school dropout might use, but not a statesman. The opportunity to select a more appropriate and precise word reminds me of Gennady's perspective on Limitless who took NZT a few times and says, "I'm dubious. I like that word. My vocabulary used to be so bad." 



Truly, yippy is not impressive. It smacks of a limited vocabulary. Even if the audience is primarily a less educated audience.

What substitute words would have worked better for Mr. Trump? What would capture both the spirit of relative nervousness plus slightly patronize the undefined "people" for being nervous? I would consider petulant or querulous, but neither sound adequately condescending for Mr. Trump of the people who were clamoring at his imposed tariff effects.

Personally, I like the word squeamish. 

If I had to prepare Mr. Trump for that press conference, which is fairly important, as he certainly risks losing the tough cred he needs on Liberation Day and every other day, I would want to confirm and look up the definition of squeamish to be sure it's the best word.

Squeamish: (of a person) easily made to feel sick, faint, or disgusted, especially by unpleasant images, such as the sight of blood.

The word does have a sickly connotation, and I think that works. I think you might use the word to describe your son who is complaining of feeling sick in the car after watching and hearing his sister throw up in a bag, in the car, while you were traveling on vacation. And while squeamish doesn't condescend the unnerved boy as much as yippy, it still implies that the cause for a pause is a negative reflection of the one who is feeling sickly.

Finally, squeamish does sound smarter than yippy. It's smarter, but it is still generally understood. It's not so smart it sounds like you're trying too hard.

I'll concede something. It's easy to Monday-morning-quarterback the President's word choice, and in the end, Mr. Trump's yippy didn't seem to be a big problem in the press.

In retrospect, the pause happened, the gallery got less yippy, the stock market soared, and we all felt a little less squeamish -- for now.

What? You're still feeling squeamish?

Oh, you're feeling worse than that?!

We'll, have you considered an emotional support dog?