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Ever.
Some colleagues and I were talking the other day about using words. Mostly the conversation was about how well or poorly we choose our words in every day conversation. And in no time at all it transitioned into when we casually use a "big" word -- whether we do it because it's "the right word" for the circumstance or not.
And I mentioned my pet peeve for the looooooosers that use the word "utilize."
It is by definition, I argued, a word that has absolutely no other reason for existence other than to make the user (rhymes with "loser," btw) sound like he's using a "big" word. Think about it, I asked my colleagues, there is no difference in meaning -- on any level -- between the word "use" and the word "utilize." Why does anyone use "utilize" except to make himself sound impressive.
For years I've been telling my students to never use that crap word and why. And I cringe every time I see it in print or hear it being used.
I'm not sure if there's a question to ask in this post or if I'm just ranting. Maybe I should've just put it in the Place Your Rant Here Thread.
Oh well.
Here's hoping the folks at Paizo stop using "utilize" in every friggin' product they print.
I can think of a reason: there aren't many other synonyms for 'use', and I hate word repetition.
You have pet peeves against words and still you're allowed near students? o_0
Here's a thread I can sink my teeth into...and then drain it of life and redirect it to railing against a word that is being incorrectly used in a way that annoys me.
Stop using the word "event" incorrectly. This is mainly directed at those in the radio and television media.
[ih-vent]
–noun
1.
something that happens or is regarded as happening; an occurrence, especially one of some importance.
2.
the outcome, issue, or result of anything: The venture had no successful event.
3.
something that occurs in a certain place during a particular interval of time.
Therefore, anything that happens is an event. Stop putting the word "event" at the end of the event itself in order to make it sound more impressive.
Examples:
Last night the CW announced it was about to air the Supernatural "finale event." Just say "finale." Adding event to the end of it doesn't make it any more special.
I've heard local weathermen refer to an upcoming "rain event" in their forecasts. It's just rain. Don't try to aggrandize it. If it were worth more attention, it would be a storm.
I appreciate the opportunity to utilize your thread. I now return control back to the original ranter.
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You have pet peeves against words and still you're allowed near students? o_0
LOL
As much as I hate your Avatar name, Chaos-boy, you do give great posts.
This one, funny as it is, and as important as it is to consider, is bogus. Teaching the use of words properly and recognizing improper use of words is an important part of education.
But, of course you're right -- a person's Pet Peeves ISN'T.
Ooo - I was about to post that thinking "utilize" is a fluffy-make-yourself-sound-smart word is a misnomer (hah, see what I did there?); until I read the grammar girl guide on use-vs-utilize. Turns out that I'm predisposed to using utilize since I'm a scientist and its normal in my field.
Seriously though - there are better words and phrases to be miffed about. I do agree that sometimes people write in a manner that doesn't help their cause. Tone, pacing and vocabulary should be tailored to the audience and purpose.
Consider the nouns: "usage" vs "utilization" - do you feel the same way about them? Do you see distinct purposes for each?
While browsing the Grammar Girl site, I also found this.
I confess that everything I know about Latin abbreviations I learned from Gary Gygax.
Am I right in remembering that there was an appendix in the ADD DMG where a bunch of these were spelled out?
Either way, I remember looking them up and commiting them to memory when teaching myself how to play the game in fifth grade.
Hee hee!
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I had an old housemate who always said "utilize" in conversation.
Really inappropriately.
"I'm glad you picked up those shelving units from your brother. We could really utilize them."
"I don't want to contribute towards the phone bill because I never utilize it."
"You can take the mouse from my old computer; I don't utilize it anymore."
I kid you not.
I buried her in the yard.
(Okay, I'm kidding about that last part, but I wish I had.)
For me, outside of those scientific uses, I would limit "utilize" for cases where, as KC pointed out, you are overusing "use" and desperately need a synonym. Probably better to rewrite, though.
Yes, things can be overdone. But that doesn't mean that some words are intrinsically wrong.
In any event, I am in favour of Paizo utilising words with more than two syllables.
(Yes, I wrote that last sentence just to wind you guys up :P).
But big words are fun. They make you smarter, or seem smarter. Sometimes, I inoculate big words into sentences, even if I don't know what they mean.
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Yes, things can be overdone. But that doesn't mean that some words are intrinsically wrong.
In any event, I am in favour of Paizo utilising words with more than two syllables.
(Yes, I wrote that last sentence just to wind you guys up :P).
But big words are fun. They make you smarter, or seem smarter. Sometimes, I inoculate big words into sentences, even if I don't know what they mean.
Well, at least those big words won't get polio.
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At the risk of seeming needlessly contrary, I've seldom encountered improper usage of utilize, if only due to the fact that the only individuals I know that might implement such vernacular in a legitimately cromulent manner are fully cognizant of its proper utilization.
This makes me more sad for W. E. Ray than for his students, however, because this infers that they don't pick up on the optimal uses for variable vocabulary, and trend instead towards the more egregious and ostentatious displays of synonym and antonym implementation without having an in-depth understanding of how apt, or not, their word choices might or might not be.
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At the risk of seeming needlessly contrary, I've seldom encountered improper usage of utilize, if only due to the fact that the only individuals I know that might implement such vernacular in a legitimately cromulent manner are fully cognizant of its proper utilization.
This makes me more sad for W. E. Ray than for his students, however, because this infers that they don't pick up on the optimal uses for variable vocabulary, and trend instead towards the more egregious and ostentatious displays of synonym and antonym implementation without having an in-depth understanding of how apt, or not, their word choices might or might not be.
It infers nothing. It implies ideas that we infer. I'd also be curious what an illegitimately cromulent manner would be, although considering the etymology of "cromulent," it is quite possible.
;)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled utilization event.
Me smash you!
Forget utilizing and upstanding; I just need a salary.
I utilize utilize all the time. I do not see the harm in utilizing utilize. I think we should all utilize utilize.
I utilize utilize all the time. I do not see the harm in utilizing utilize. I think we should all utilize utilize.However in your utilization of utilize do you at times over utilize utilize?
There may be times in my utilization of utilize that I utilize the word utilize more often than should be utilized.
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There may be times in my utilization of utilize that I utilize the word utilize more often than should be utilized.I utilize utilize all the time. I do not see the harm in utilizing utilize. I think we should all utilize utilize.However in your utilization of utilize do you at times over utilize utilize?
Mayhap you should utilize a different word?
Mayhap you should utilize a different word?There may be times in my utilization of utilize that I utilize the word utilize more often than should be utilized.I utilize utilize all the time. I do not see the harm in utilizing utilize. I think we should all utilize utilize.However in your utilization of utilize do you at times over utilize utilize?
I ain't got no need for purty words.
Are you kids from France?
Ooh la la. Ooh la la.
Ever.
Personally, I think Mr. Ray is using reverse psychology on us.
He is a crafty one.
At the risk of seeming needlessly contrary, I've seldom encountered improper usage of utilize, if only due to the fact that the only individuals I know that might implement such vernacular in a legitimately cromulent manner are fully cognizant of its proper utilization.
This makes me more sad for W. E. Ray than for his students, however, because this infers that they don't pick up on the optimal uses for variable vocabulary, and trend instead towards the more egregious and ostentatious displays of synonym and antonym implementation without having an in-depth understanding of how apt, or not, their word choices might or might not be.
It infers nothing. It implies ideas that we infer. I'd also be curious what an illegitimately cromulent manner would be, although considering the etymology of "cromulent," it is quite possible.
;)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled utilization event.
in·fer
verb /inˈfər/
inferred, past participle; inferred, past tense; inferring, present participle; infers, 3rd person singular present
Deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements.
If we're going to indulge in pedantry, at least make sure that it isn't purely for purposes of follicular bifurcation. There was no explicit statement or declaration that his students were being denied access to a more expansive vocabulary purely out of overly-specific individual disfavor on the part of their instructor; the validity of vernacular selection is utterly legitimate.
This, amusingly, results in your argument being a demonstrably illegitimate cromulence, because it is a disagreement that is plausible, perhaps even apropos the discussion...if for the wrong reason, or at best a matter of ill-fitting justification. Also, because some might punnishly declare that one was being a bit bastardly, thus making the illegitimacy relative to the speaker, rather than the actual topic. :D
Two things, its interesting that the second part of grammer site that Heathie linked above mentions that pleaded is more accepted than pled. I think that it is based in part on local culture. I know the judges and attorneys around here use pled.
I also hate the phrase "a minute" when used for a measurement of time beyond a few minutes. Describing a relationship that lasted for several weeks as "a minute" makes no sense. Thank you for letting me get this off my chest.
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We all have our pet peeves. For me it is how people try to utilize bankruptcy in all kinds of creative and ultimately futile ways. You would not believe the events that people think bankruptcy should either get them out of or allow them to do. I have seen everything from people claiming that bankruptcy prevents them from getting a divorce or taking a paternity test, to claiming that it should allow them longer to get their stuff out of the pawn shop. Now that I have concluded my rant I will return you to your discussion on word utilization.
I'm a scientist. For me, the word "utilize" has a separate meaning from "use." That said, it drives me up the wall when people try and use "utilize" to mean "use."
One bigger pet peeve, for me, is the annoyingly pretentious and incredibly prissy-sounding use of "whilst" to mean "while." I want to slap the next person who says something like "I was reading the newspaper whilst I was sitting on the toilet."
......!
Huh?
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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I've always understood that, contextually, you "use" something for its intended purpose, but you "utilize" something for other than its intended purpose. The construction of utilize literally means "make useful." You don't utilize the toilet, you use it; that's its intended purpose. But if you needed to reach something high, you could utilize a chair as a ladder, for instance.
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I'm a scientist. For me, the word "utilize" has a separate meaning from "use." That said, it drives me up the wall when people try and use "utilize" to mean "use."
One bigger pet peeve, for me, is the annoyingly pretentious and incredibly prissy-sounding use of "whilst" to mean "while." I want to slap the next person who says something like "I was reading the newspaper whilst I was sitting on the toilet."
That's standard British English. It does drive me nuts when an American uses it, though. I can't stand when Americans affect Britishisms - it's just pretentious.
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I've always understood that, contextually, you "use" something for its intended purpose, but you "utilize" something for other than its intended purpose. The construction of utilize literally means "make useful." You don't utilize the toilet, you use it; that's its intended purpose. But if you needed to reach something high, you could utilize a chair as a ladder, for instance.
I never thought of that -- I wonder if it's true. It doesn't sound right based on a quick read of Heathy's post earlier but it does sound good.
Anyways, I have the same reaction as Kirth when I see "utilize" in everyday use (and I'm not even a scientist or statistical analysist).
I started the OP cuz of the conversation we were having at work and it reminded me of all the times I see "utilize" in Paizo's products. Little pedantic things like that just bug me a bit.
I saw another one in Wes's Forward for Pathfinder #46 yesterday -- something like "Everyone lived but Erik, Rob and I" -- little things like that.
I let my students know about those pesky grammar rules occasionally and just wish I didn't see them popping up in Paizo.
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It does drive me nuts when an American uses ("whilst"), though.
I can't stand when Americans affect Britishisms - it's just pretentious.
A few years ago I brought in a guy to run our history department from London and started to learn the occassional "British" word that "means something different" in America.
I think "pants" is my favorite. Tom laughed one day when we were at a Dolphins game and I remarked that I just threw on a dirty pair of pants for the game.
One of the ones that really messed with my head was -- damn, I forgot -- in England, when you get fired, get a "pink slip" -- what's that pink slip called?
Anyway, it threw me for a loop.
Honestly, I don't mind people trying to sound smart if they use real words.
It's the ones who make up words and then insist they are real that drive me nuts.
One of my colleagues from the UK was cracking me up with her description of the plane flight here.
Pilot: "Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be landing momentarily."
My Colleague: "What are we supposed to do, get ready to jump off the plane just as it brushes the surface? Why won't they just keep in on the ground for a bit?"
Other Passenger: "That's not what that means..."