Published October 24, 2025

Conscious language is an approach to language that requires us to be thoughtful about what we say and write. The political winds are blowing hard against it, which means it’s more important now than ever before to be mindful about it.

We should always be on the lookout for throwaway expressions and terminology that should have been thrown away a long time ago.

“Wife beater” is a good example. If you’ve ever seen a battered, bleeding, crying woman after she’s been beaten, you’ll never want to use or hear that term again.

A baseball term that has overstayed its welcome is “twin killing,” a synonym for a double play. Don’t laugh. If we were inventing a sport today and wanted to come up with a term for getting two outs on one defensive play, I doubt we’d choose “twin killing” to describe it.

I can feel you rolling your eyes. Really, Carly?

Yes, really.

But what if I have to say “double play” twice?

You’ll survive it.

Let them disappear

I got some pushback and indifference years ago when I talked about this with other writers. There are writers who grow up reading old baseball stories and enjoy the occasional throwback phrase. “Twin killing” was used so much over the years, most people never gave it a second thought.

In addition to being a cliche, it’s soured like 1955 milk. You wouldn’t drink that.

If “twin killing” is your “hill I will die on,” I don’t know what to say, bro.

Here’s the thing: no pronouncements, no major style notes, just quietly choose not to write it or allow it in stories. The “you can’t say anything anymore” people would love to screenshot a note telling you to stay away from “twin killing” or “wife beater,” so disappoint them.

Just help those expressions die an overdue death.

Yeah, I said death. And I might become a meme now, an example of “all that’s wrong with this country,” for even pointing it out. Oops, I gave them the screenshot! But “twin killing” belongs in the trash heap, if not a language museum. Let it go.

People with the MLB app tell me “oppo taco” needs to go away, but I think that’s because of a commercial it has played a million times. But that’s another story.

One thing I like about The Athletic is we have style guidance telling writers not to refer to something as “crazy” or “insane.” Using diseases and medical conditions as metaphors for sports occurrences is also verboten.

The reasons should be obvious.

No one seems bothered by “anemic offense” or “crippling setback,” but they probably should be. Your mileage may vary. If people who read your publication suffer from a malady that you use as a metaphor to describe an oopsie in sports, maybe rethink such usage.

“Hey Dad, that illness you have that drove you bankrupt is kinda like that thing afflicting your favorite team’s defense, right??”

If you’re as good a writer as you think you are, you have options. Use your words.

Conscious language is all about freeing yourself from the habitual and harmful things you type with barely a thought. A publication that professes to want to rid itself of cliches should embrace conscious language.

Sending love. Protect your peace.

♥

Thank you

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