23 October 2008
Use Actual Words Please
Those who know me personally know that I'm infamous for my tirades against "business English," aka "jargon." David Pogue of the NY Times agrees. Check out Pogue's Anti-Jargon Dictionary. My favorite? Functionality. Preach, brother!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
My most hated word? "Utilize". It means "use", people. puh-leeze!
I don't think it counts as business jargon, but my most hated word is one you see on virtually every blog in the RSS subscription area: "Via". Just say, "by" people.
My pet peeves? "Learnings" - they're LESSONS - any "-ize" words (right with you, Mads), "synergy" and "proactive."
Sorry, but I have to say it. A big pet peeve is the air quote, such as the ones around business English and jargon. (Please don't hate me Elizabeth.)
@Scott - I have a pet peeve around quotation marks, too! But mine is when people use quotation marks when they mean emphasis - i.e., you mean to say that it's free, free, or FREE, not "free" (which in fact means it's not really free).
Post a Comment