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By Richard Nordquist, About.com Guide to Grammar & Composition

Horrible Words (British Edition)

Friday April 25, 2008

"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

April 28, 2008 at 11:14 am
(1) sornord says:

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”

April 28, 2008 at 11:54 am
(2) Susan D says:

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.”

April 28, 2008 at 12:34 pm
(3) Cici says:

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…

May 2, 2008 at 1:36 am
(4) Kerry says:

*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”.

May 2, 2008 at 6:51 am
(5) Rumrat says:

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.

May 6, 2008 at 12:59 am
(6) Levi Bookin says:

Obligate – what’s wrong with oblige?
I suspect that it is a tortuous progression from oblige to obligation to obligate.

May 6, 2008 at 1:52 am
(7) Levi Bookin says:

Coronate – what’s wrong with crown?
I suspect that it is a tortuous progression from crown to coronation to coronate.

May 6, 2008 at 1:55 am
(8) Levi Bookin says:

Gay.

The word originally meant happy etc.

Now it means something different.

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