Things We Will Never Say
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Things We Will Never Say
There are certain words or phrases that seem to cast a spell over people. All at once some expression is all the rage, and there is no escaping it. It is hard to say anything positive about this particular manifestation of herd mentality but we’ll try: It’s better than a lynch mob.
Have you noticed how many conversations now start with the word so? “So last night I fell asleep reading War and Peace.” What does “so” add? Where did this come from? How did it start? When did this measly mundane monosyllable become hip?
Here are a couple of other usages that are playing havoc with our blood pressure:
Incentivize Although a worthless jargon word, incentivize is warmly embraced by the business community. It means simply “to offer incentives to or for.” Some random examples among the many found online: “We ought not to incentivize ignorance of the law.” “Professor says legislature should incentivize utilities to improve efficiency.” “If you are going to incentivize anyone, incentivize the buyer.”
Are you impressed yet? Anyone can turn nouns or adjectives into fancy-sounding verbs by tacking ize on the end, but why do it in this case, when words like motivate, inspire, encourage, and influence are readily available?
Incidentally, not all management mavens welcome incentivize with open arms. The following unhinged disclosure is from a business website: “Next time I hear someone use this I will reach across the board table, smack them with my laptop, then stand over their prostrate body and pour a hot cup of coffee into their ears so the last thing they hear is my voice screaming ‘Incentivize is not a word you ignorant corporate drone!’ ” Uh-oh. Someone has been watching too many Quentin Tarantino movies.
That’s a GREAT question Up until a few years ago, one might respond to a thoughtful, challenging query with “That’s a good question” or simply “Good question” before answering. It was a low-key, cordial acknowledgment. It was no big deal.
Nowadays, when some big shot is being interviewed, it won’t be long before we hear a hearty “That’s a great question,” even when the question is obvious or routine or insipid.
“That’s a great question” could be dismissed as just a tic, a mindless, reflexive throwaway line. But is it? There may be something else at play. Some interviewees deliver this empty compliment to assume the upper hand—beneath the flattery is a hint of condescension. “That’s a great question” is a double threat: tedious and devious. It’s rarely heartfelt. It is more likely either a stalling tactic or the verbal equivalent of an aristocrat tossing spare change to a peasant.
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You’re right about ‘so’, but then what is that ‘up’ doing in the following paragraph?
Up until a few years ago, one might respond to a thoughtful, challenging query with “That’s a good question” or simply “Good question” before answering. It was a low-key, cordial acknowledgment. It was no big deal.
Isn’t that ‘up’ redundant?
You could say “up” is redundant, but up until is an established idiom.
Thank You!!!
Thank you for bringing up “so….” It seems people use it as a sort of preparatory pause like we use “well,” but I can’t for the life of me figure out where it came from or when it started. It’s been a few years now, at least, since I noticed friends using it.
Now, I can sleep at night knowing someone else in the world cares.
So long,
Thank you for writing. Your point about so replacing well is so well taken!
Thank you so very much for this post! Two weeks ago, I was at a training class where the phase “we’ll do a deeper dive about this in the breakout sessions” was used by every presenter. After three days of this, I was ready to “deeper dive” all of them! (LOL!) I actually decided it was better suited to being a drinking game – but I didn’t have any alcohol, so I just drank whatever I had at the time – coffee, water, whatever. Spent more time in the bathroom, so probably missed a few more utterances of this phrase – so it worked out ok…Keep up the great work!!
Another one that annoys the heck out of me is the use of “price point,” in place of “price.” How is that different? What’s the point of adding “point”?
Thank you for the GREAT newsletters. (They are indeed good.)
We hadn’t thought of “price point.” That’s a good one.
I also chuckle at the use of nouns as verbs. Partnering is my pet peeve.
When I first heard a business executive use the word incentivize in the 1970s, I knew he meant there was financial consideration. Motivate, inspire, encourage and influence do not connote a financial reward.
I have heard courteous speakers say “good question” as a way of acknowledging an audience member.
We have to disagree with your statement “Motivate, inspire, encourage and influence do not connote a financial reward.” Although those words do not denote a financial reward, we feel that they could easily be interpreted to connote a financial reward, if that is the intent of the speaker or writer.
Thank you for your reply and the continuing education.
I just had to comment on the use of the word “so”. I have noticed that many political operatives use the word so to start an answer to a reporter who may be asking a politically embarrassing question.
Example:
Reporter: Why did President Snodgrass veto the housing bill for kittens and puppies?
Press Secretary: So, President Snodgrass loves kittens and puppies, make no mistake about that. Blah Blah Blah
In the press secretary’s answer the word so implies a continuation of a thought even when none was expressed. It’s as if the press secretary answered the hard part of the question, voting against kittens and puppies, and then fills the rest of the answer with political posturing.
Looks like we’ve been watching the same interactions. Kudos for nailing it. We wholeheartedly agree.
I think they say, “That’s a great question” because they really don’t know the answer. Why don’t they just say, “I really don’t know the answer to that question.”
I just had to add “It is what it is”!!! I notice sports people are using this phrase when interviewed on television, often, it seems, to explain or excuse a poor performance or a team’s less-than-stellar performance. Isn’t it amazing how these little things can actually drive you nuts.
Anyhow, thank you for your continued excellent newsletters. I am a medical transcriptionist for medicolegal reports and I find your website and newsletters are invaluable in my work as well as interesting reading.
Incentivize? You are so right. It’s vile.
I work in this corporate arena, and my latest gig involved the word ‘monitise’ (also very nasty).
The question is, what are the alternatives? Big business likes these words because they are snappy and concise and, in a world which counts characters (in email subject fields, for example), it’s hard to defend longer alternatives.
What do you suggest?
The article was addressing formal writing, and the aesthetics of graceful rhetoric. Those are not the first priorities of business correspondence, and that’s fine. There is no harm in using “inside” jargon like incentivize with your colleagues, but remember, things change when you write your book!