Horrible Words (British Edition)
"Words that are horrible to one writer may not be horrible to another," says John Grimond in The Economist Style Guide (Profile Books, 2005). "But if you are a writer for whom no words are horrible, you would do well to take up some other activity."
You know the kinds of words he means. Not "bad" or insensitive or politically incorrect words, but those that are thoughtlessly used, abused, and overused. Words that may sound fresh at breakfast but by supper time have gone stale.
Included on my list of horrible words are absolutely (as a synonym for yes) and transparent (in its trendy managerial sense). Also the verb reinvent, the interjection whatever, and the noun parameter (when used by anyone except a mathematician).
As Grimond says, "No words or phrases should be banned outright from appearing in print," but we should recognize that some words are likely to annoy at least some of our readers some of the time. Though intended for a British audience, Grimond's list may include a horrible word or two of your own:
- carer (and most caring expressions)
- chattering classes
- facilitate
- famously
- governance
- grow the business
- guesstimate
- informed (as in his love of language informed his memos)
- likely (meaning probably, rather than probable)
- looking to (intending to)
- materiel
- ongoing
- poster child
- prestigious
- proactive
- rack up (profits, etc.)
- savvy
- segue
- source (meaning obtain)
- stakeholder
By clicking on the comments button below, tell us which horrible words appear on your list.
Advice About Writing:
Comments
leverage: Instead of “use,” as in “leverage the skill of our technical staff.”
excellence: Over-used in motivational tomes
solutions: Used instead of fixing or solving problems, as in, “Marketing solutions to IT needs in the…”
enterprise: synonym for “large company”
Plethora. So often I see its usage to mean “many.” I understand the meaning to be: “A condition of going or being beyond what is needed, desired, or appropriate.”
Heard recently: “Let’s put our mindshare together for due diligence and figure out next steps.” (Translation: Let’s determine viable options, because we’re lagging.)
I felt like Dilbert. I just clutched the coffee cup and pretended that instead of in a meeting, I was, far, far away…
*24/7
*Mum and Dad Investors – a patronising way of referring to non-institutional, or “ordinary” investors.
*Best Practice/World’s Best Practice
*Segue
*”Grow the business” – instead of “develop the business” or “increase business”.
Robust! This is my most detested expression. Everything appears to be “robust” in common management and political parlance nowadays. Strong and healthy or strong and unlikely to fail. Sadly, it usually does.
Obligate – what’s wrong with oblige?
I suspect that it is a tortuous progression from oblige to obligation to obligate.
Coronate – what’s wrong with crown?
I suspect that it is a tortuous progression from crown to coronation to coronate.
Gay.
The word originally meant happy etc.
Now it means something different.