Some students in my classes have asked for a list of words I hate. Here are the ones that are always at the top:
Currently
If there is a verb in the sentence, then you don’t need that adverb. It is redundant.
Incorrect: Beth is currently a writing professor. “Is” means it is happening right now. “Currently” is overkill.
Correct: I can’t think of an occasion where you would need it.
Hopefully
This is one of the most misused words in the English language. People use it to mean “I hope.” If that is what you mean, then use, “I hope,” for Pete’s sake! It is an adverb, which means it needs to modify a verb.
Incorrect: Hopefully, the envelope contains a bonus check. How is the envelope behaving in a hopeful manner?
Correct: She looked hopefully at the envelope, convinced that it contained a bonus check.
Utilize
I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: There is nothing wrong with the word “use.”
Incorrect: Utilize your knowledge of grammar to start a blog.
Correct: Use your knowledge of grammar to start a blog. See? “Use” is a perfectly good word.
Nauseous
People use this word to mean “I am sick to my stomach.” But what they should say is “nauseated” because that is what they are. If they are nauseous, then they cause nausea in others.
Incorrect: “I’m nauseous now,” said Eddie after riding The Flying Critter at the fair.
Correct: “The Flying Critter made me nauseated,” he said.
Partner
This is a noun, not a verb. Stop trying to “partner” with people, and just team up, join them or just combine completely in the sentence.
Incorrect: The SCAD writing department is partnering with the graduate studies department to present a lecture by Rebecca Skloot.
Correct: The writing and graduate studies departments are sponsoring the lecture.
There’s more, but this list has made me nauseated, and I need to lie down.
This makes me scared to speak in your presence. (Though I would NEVER say utilize.)
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I’ve never heard you use any of these words in my presence. Is there something I should know?
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I’m convinced that “instantaneously” is no better than “instantly.”
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I agree.
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Check on this page : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/youmeus/learnit/learnitv233.shtml
Again, it just comes down to the context. Neither one is inherently more correct than the other.
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My mnemonic for “nauseated vs nauseous” has long been that noxious is equivalent to nauseous, but one would never say “I am noxious” or “I feel noxious,” therefore, why would you say “I am nauseous”? But I had a friend make a case against this, and I just pulled this from Merriam-Webster’s website:
“Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only in sense 1 [causing nausea] and that in sense 2 [feeling nausea] it is an error for nauseated are mistaken. Current evidence shows these facts: nauseous is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea, usually after a linking verb such as feel or become; figurative use is quite a bit less frequent. Use of nauseous in sense 1 is much more often figurative than literal, and this use appears to be losing ground to nauseating. Nauseated is used more widely than nauseous in sense 2.”
Sounds like we’re among something of a minority on this battle, though it still is the more common usage? Unless I’m misreading the passage.
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The key part of that passage is “current evidence.” That means, “People keep using it wrong, so we are going to change it so that they can be right and feel OK about themselves.”
“Phat” is also in the online dictionary. That doesn’t make it right.
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Oh, no, I definitely agree. Gotta love the dictionary system I guess. I still fight my friends on this one, actually. Though I was very surprised when someone finally stood up for the usage tack.
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This is really very nitpicky.
Anyway, I disagree with you on quite a few points.
Using currently if there is already a verb in the sentence is not necessarily redundant, especially in a time sensitive context.
Utilize is not incorrect, and can be used in place of use. Doing so would mean not just to use something, but to use something efficiently.
Using nauseous in the way you describe is not necessarily incorrect, although the incorrect example you gave is indeed incorrect. It has to do with which tense you are using it in, but in some contexts it is perfectly fine to use nauseous to describe being affected by nausea.
Most dictionaries define partner as both a verb and a noun, so there is nothing incorrect for the examples you gave.
I would be interested to discuss this with you, so do hope you reply.
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Of course it is nitpicky! The post is titled, “words I hate,” not “words everyone hates.” I mentioned my reasons for hating them. Feel free to disagree and use them all you want.
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Fair enough 🙂
It doesn’t make sense to hate words if your reasons for doing so are not valid however. The thing about language is that if you want to be technical, you can be as there are strict definitions and rules to refer to.
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My reasons for doing so are indeed valid, and I think I have explained those reasons. I prefer following rules for proper use, not going along with a usage just because many people do.
You can start your own blog celebrating misuse.
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I did not defend the usage of the words as being correct simply because that is how they are commonly used. Like you I prefer to speak correctly and not just follow the crowd.
However as I have pointed out the reasons and examples you have do not show the words you selected to be incorrect. At the moment you simply disagree with the way some words are used, there is nothing incorrect about the way people use them.
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You are missing the point of my original post. My students asked me for a list of words I hate. And these are the top five.
I hate two of the words (“hopefully” and “nauseous”) because people use them incorrectly according to a variety of sources. I hate the other three (“currently,” “utilize” and “partner”) because I either don’t see why anyone would use them (“currently”) or there are other, better words to use (“utilize” and “partner”).
My post is more about better vs. worse, and WHY people should use certain words over others. (And it isn’t because “everyone does it, so it must be right.”)
Can we talk now about why you aren’t using commas?
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I would also like to link to Paul Brians’ Common Errors in English Usage , specifically : http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/nonerrors.html#hopefully
To quote: “This word has meant “it is to be hoped” for a very long time, and those who insist it can only mean “in a hopeful fashion” display more hopefulness than realism.”
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I am eternally hopeful and optimistic that people will use words correctly.
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As I pointed out, for most of the words and examples you gave they were not being used incorrectly.
If you disagree with me I would ask you to provide some further evidence rather than just your opinion.
I actually double checked before I posted my reply, and no dictionaries nor the etymology and usage of the worlds you listed supports your point.
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SIGH. Who ARE you?
Currently:
Yes, it is my opinion. I see no reason to use currently when the verb is present tense. Present tense implies time-sensitive action. (“We are currently disagreeing” is not better than “We are disagreeing” or “We disagree,” and takes longer to write.)
Hopefully:
It can mean “in a hopeful manner” or “it is hoped.” Dictionaries list both uses, and the second use has been popular since the 1930s. I prefer AP Style (http://www.apstylebook.com/), and AP Style says using the word to mean “it is hoped” is a no-no.
Utilize:
Again, my opinion, but others agree. See http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/use-versus-utilize.aspx, for example.
Nauseous:
Many dictionaries have accepted the contemporary use of the word, which is that nauseous and nauseated are interchangeable. Sticklers disagree. (http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-comments.aspx)
Partner:
Totally my opinion. It was a noun first, and a verb later (see http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=partner&searchmode=none and others). Why must anyone use it as a verb when there are other, better verbs to use?
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Thanks for your reply.
I disagreed with your opinions as per the technical definitions and origins of the words you selected. That’s why I was interested in your sources.
I’m glad to see that there were just your opinions. I guess you could say a pet hate of mine is people correcting others, when they are not necessarily correct themselves.
Thanks for replying though, and sorry if you found me to agitating in getting my questions across.
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I’m glad you feel strongly enough about the English language to post to my blog. I’m happy to debate.
As I mentioned, I prefer the original meaning for two of the words, as opposed to the contemporary use. And I think I make a good case for not using the other three. I tell my students that I don’t like certain words, and why. I want them to be precise in their writing, and not use unnecessary words.
And let’s be clear: It is not all my opinion. I do have evidence to back up my assessment, and there are others who agree with me. You are welcome to disagree.
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I miss you guys, Beth. This is a fascinating blog. “Can we talk now about why you aren’t using commas?” It reminds me of our time on stage all those years ago. Arcadia was a perfect fit!
Hope all is well. Say hi to Eddie!
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Yeah, “Arcadia” was great, and we had so much fun. Except for that night I got a little too far into Hannah. Sorry about that bright red mark!
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It finally healed up a couple of years ago. I can feel both sides of my face now, so no harm done!
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Using “healed up” is just to dig at you a little. 🙂
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Oh dig away — I can take it!
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