Scribd
Upload
48 views

Impact: The Words To Be Used

The document discusses the misuse and overuse of certain words in writing, reducing their intended meaning or force. It analyzes the words "focus", "impact", "instigate", and "materialize", providing dictionary definitions and criticizing how they are often used incorrectly in place of more accurate verbs like "reward", "encourage", "initiate", "happen", or "occur". Using powerful words in a weak or vague way deprives them of their proper color or force. Writers should choose words carefully to precisely convey their intended meaning.

Uploaded by

Ilias
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
48 views

Impact: The Words To Be Used

The document discusses the misuse and overuse of certain words in writing, reducing their intended meaning or force. It analyzes the words "focus", "impact", "instigate", and "materialize", providing dictionary definitions and criticizing how they are often used incorrectly in place of more accurate verbs like "reward", "encourage", "initiate", "happen", or "occur". Using powerful words in a weak or vague way deprives them of their proper color or force. Writers should choose words carefully to precisely convey their intended meaning.

Uploaded by

Ilias
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

The Words to be Used

that companies distribute? Focus is a nice-sounding w ord w ith the air


o f some intellectual meat about it, o f some clarity and resonance. But
w hat the w riter means is that travel is often a good way o f rewarding
staff.
impact
W hen a w ord has some dramatic thrust it is especially destructive to use
it so as to deprive it of colour or force. Here the w ord im pact is used in
a piece o f advice about prettifying the home:
To add impact, choose flowers that make a statement.
Im pact is a powerful w ord, used o f fatal crashes at high speed on the
motorway, or o f dramatic effects produced by some spectacle o f rare
impressiveness. The w riter o f the above, however, reduces the w ord to
the level o f any old piece o f w orn-out currency; then, to make things
worse, trundles out the m ost hackneyed o f current non-sayings, flowers
that make a statem ent.
instigate
My dictionary definition o f this verb is to bring about, as by incitem ent
and to urge on to some violent or unadvisable action. The notion of
stirring things up into a state o f excitement attaches to the verb, w hich
has been m uch used o f fermenting rebellion. The w ord is now used
increasingly as though it meant no m ore than initiate or start.
His grandfather instigated the first public transport system in the city.
Here initiated or started w ould be better.
He joined the society soon after going up to Cambridge, instigated by a
former school friend.
Here encouraged w ould be the right word.
materialize
Something w hich materializes takes on material form. Therefore the
verb is used o f things w hich become fact, w hich actually take place. Thus
the w ord has been increasingly used o f plans w hich come off, as we
say. The usage is not favoured by the pedants. The m odern tendency to
use the verb as an alternative to the verbs to happen or to occur is
regarded as lax and imprecise. As one looks at instances o f its use

You might also like