Most of the time when we speak of major events we can give them a name: Pearl Harbor, D-Day, even July 4 is Independance Day. The terrorits events of Sept. 11, 2001 happened in 3 different places so 'naming' the event has been really difficult. If we could have found another way to talk of the whole day in some other way, we probably would have. To name it for the destruction of the WTC would omit the Pentagon & crash in PA.

Normally in conversation we say the name of the month & using the numbers is a written shorthand. After all July 4 is not called either seven-four or four-seven. I don't know if the terrorists picked the date because of it's 911 connection. A year ago in the middle of the day's events most everyone did realize that the day's date was 9-11 & made the connection with the emergency number.

We have all needed a way to talk about the day. Early on it was "Attack on America." I'm glad I haven't heard that in a while. I don't like 9-11 because it's my niece's birthday, and I don't like a day being forever branded; but so far 9-11 is the only thing that really works. Language changes & eventually we'll develop a way to separate 911 for emergencies in general from 9-11 the event.

Anna Quindlen writes about the bifurcation of the day in Newsweek's Last Word column Sept. 9 issue. Sept. 11 is also her son's birthday. "September 11 is my boy's birthday; 9-11 is something else. That is the way we have to live, or we cannot really go on living at all." I agreee with her, and will save Sept. 11 for my niece.

Cataloger's had big debates about the subject heading to be used for it. Here's the Library of Congress heading, followed by all the terms not used that they thought were needed for references:

USE: September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001
NOT USED: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001
911 Terrorist Attacks, 2001
Attack on America, 2001 (September 11 Terrorist Attacks)
Pentagon (Va.) -- Terrorist Attack, 2001
Pentagon-World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks, 2001
Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001
September 11 Terror Attacks, 2001
September 11 Terrorism, 2001
Terrorist Attacks, September 11, 2001
World Trade Center (New York, N.Y.) -- Terrorist Attack, 2001
World Trade Center-Pentagon Terrorist Attacks, 2001