Impactful

[Bruno]

I know impactful is a legitimate word but feel like it shouldn't be. Likewise using impact as a verb. Submit your candidates for expurgation here.

[Jah Womble]

'Impactful' has all the hallmarks of a word that has crept into the language via transatlantic conference-calling. (I'll admit I've previously used 'impact' as a verb, but have now stopped myself.)

On a similar ticket, 'action' as a verb also needs frogmarching to the lexicon's darkened car park.

[ursus arctos]

I'm of the belief that the growth of "impact" as a verb has its roots in people being fearful of getting the use of affect/effect wrong.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Cause and affect, innit?

[WOM]

Izzit?

[ursus arctos]

Nicely done, sir.

You will be an asset to Canada.

[ursus arctos]

Yes on both counts

[adams house cat]

I once swore to clout the next person who said to me "impact his bail".

[3 Colours Red]

"Addicting" when meaning to say "addictive". There's plenty of adjectives that end with "-ing" so that shouldn't be the problem but it just sounds so wrong.

[Auntie Beryl]

"You are bias".

Nope, I'm biased. You sound like a toddler.

[Sits]

One which irks me is the use of "talk to" instead of "talk about" or "discuss" e.g. "this seminar talks to the issue of our growth strategy".

The issue of your growth strategy is not listening mate.

[Sits]

"Who are we versing" is Australian kidspeak for "who are the opposition" although I've heard adults use it.

[Various Artist]

Blegh, yes I've come across "versing" as a weird backformation from 'versus' on things like YouTube comments, though I hadn't considered it particularly Aussie in origin.

Similar to Auntie Beryl's "bias" comment above, my teeth itch whenever I see something like "That's so cliche" instead of "cliched" – or, as I'd have it, "clichéd". This use as an adjective instead of a noun seems to be a common (increasingly so?) American thing, I realise.

The one I keep coming across online that really makes me, well, cringe, is something like "That's so cringe", instead of "cringeworthy". Even "cringy" at least sounds like an adjective so isn't half so bad, but using the unaltered verb as an adjective is horribly wrong.

[Various Artist]

Ooh, ooh, another one I've just remembered: "coronate".

That is, the thing that happened to the Queen at her coronation: she was coronated.

Crowned. It's not an obscure word, for heaven's sake.

[Sits]

Obligated. Is this different from obliged?

[Sam]

I've always just taken obligated/obliged to be a US/UK difference, albeit one of the cases in which I'm most convinced our side have got it right.

My girlfriend has recently – I suspect solely to wind me up – taken to describing tasty food as 'flavourful'. Now there's a word I just can't get on with.

[G-Man]

The word "impact" was used as a verb before it became a noun.

Language evolves, there's no need to be purist about the development of verbs from nouns. But one must be purist about its correct application, its precision and its elegance.

I object when "new" words are used not because of an absence of better terms, but because the users think it makes them sound smarter. I subscribe to the good sub-editing advice: to use simple language whenever possible. "Show" instead of "demonstrate", "about" rather than "approximately", "possible" rather than feasible". Of course, there are times when the more complicated terms must be used for precision, but it's a good rule of thumb to keep it simple.

[Aitch]

Wise words, G-Man.

My particular cramp-minded bugbear is "enervate". It means energy sapping, fatiguing, making you give up the will to live, etc., not exciting or energetic.

And don't get me started on "fulsome"!

[3 Colours Red]

Fortuitous should not be a synonym for fortunate just because they sound a bit similar. One means unintended, one means lucky.

[WOM]

"Who are we versing" is Australian kidspeak for "who are the opposition" although I've heard adults use it.

Yeah, that’s one my kid uses regarding who he’s gunning down on Fortnite. It’s terrible, but it’s also really quick and easily understandable and I can’t think of a better option.

[WOM]

My own call contribution will, as always, be ‘mother tongue’ for ‘first language’. Just....eugh.

[ad hoc]

Yeah, that’s one my kid uses regarding who he’s gunning down on Fortnite. It’s terrible, but it’s also really quick and easily understandable and I can’t think of a better option.

Who are we against

[ad hoc]

The word "impact" was used as a verb before it became a noun.

Language evolves, there's no need to be purist about the development of verbs from nouns. But one must be purist about its correct application, its precision and its elegance.

I object when "new" words are used not because of an absence of better terms, but because the users think it makes them sound smarter. I subscribe to the good sub-editing advice: to use simple language whenever possible. "Show" instead of "demonstrate", "about" rather than "approximately", "possible" rather than feasible". Of course, there are times when the more complicated terms must be used for precision, but it's a good rule of thumb to keep it simple.

I have a student at the moment who drives me crazy with his overblown language. I really struggle not to dismiss everything he writes as bullshit just because of the way he phrases it

[Wouter D]

Is there anything that "utilize" can convey that "use" cannot?

[Hot Pepsi]

Use as a noun annoys me as does “usage.” They aren’t wrong, just clunky, to my ear.

Really, we just need a lot fewer words. In the, um, words of the late Gary Shandling, the world needs to shut the fuck up.