Let’s build us a big list of unnecessary words.
Redundancies acceptable. Jargon desired. Buzzwords and corpspeak especially sought.
Let’s build us a big list of unnecessary words.
Redundancies acceptable. Jargon desired. Buzzwords and corpspeak especially sought.
Socialize, as in: Let’s socialize this idea with the team.
Leverage… when used as a verb as a bizarre synonym of “take advantage of”.
“MegaCorp leveraged their expertise in volatile chemicals to make a new line of fuel additives.”
Just terrible.
But “leverage” is one word instead of three, so it seems like a useful synonym for “[to] take advantage of.” Admittedly, it’s seen as corporate–speak, but it might still serve a purpose.
There is no justification for the existence of the word “utilize.”
“Unremarkable.”
People even say “conversate” and “commentate”? Eck.
Orientate bugs me, since it’s just a mistaken way of saying “orient”, which became common thanks to the popularity of “orientation” sessions. Yet another one of those mistakes that becomes common enough to be accepted. Fortunately, not enough to be considered “the correct” choice.
(The way people pronounce “short-lived” and “long-lived” bugs me, since it’s correct only because it’s common, and most would say that the literally correct pronunciation is wrong. But that’s beside the point here.)
I suppose we could take just about any word that ends in “ation” and replace that with “ate” and get a whole host of good examples of bad words. Do you want to presentate that, or shall I?
“proactive”
Well, the idea is “to use leverage” meaning to get more effect with less effort (ignoring the physics, of course). Do you also object to the term when used for investing borrowed money?
Because it’s no different from “active”? Doesn’t “active” include “reactive”? What word should we use to mean preventative action?
What do you suggest as a better alternative to “discuss, promote, and gain acceptance for”?
Inflammable.
How about “relevancy?” Why not just “relevance”?
Well, it’s like relevance, but more relevancy.
I like these. They show some good brainthinking. I like the way you guys are actioning this.
The trouble with “leverage” isn’t the word itself, but employing it (often repeatedly) as a direct substitute for the word “use,” when doing so adds no extra meaning. Consider these:
“We can leverage our company’s 50 years’ experience in the industry to demonstrate our expertise.” This is a perfectly cromulent usage.
“We’ll leverage our shipping contractors for delivery of the materials.” This is pushing it. Shipping stuff is what the shipping contractors do — we’re not taking any special advantage of them by using them for deliveries. Still, maybe you meant that our relationship with them will ensure timely delivery, or get us a better rate than the more common option, so I’ll roll my eyes and bear it.
“I can leverage Photoshop to add the background to the logos.” I heard this exact sentence uttered during a meeting I had today, and nearly excused myself to leverage the toilet as a containment opportunity for my fucking lunch. You are USING PHOTOSHOP, you impossibly asinine halfwit. Photoshop edits pictures. You are editing pictures with it. You are not “leveraging” jack shit, you are using the software. Christ A.
Anyhow, for my own submission, I’ll go with “touch base.” Much like “leverage,” I don’t really have a problem with it in and of itself…in fact, when I first encountered the term, I’ll admit to having used it on occasion as a neat and tidy shorthand for “regroup with those present to discuss this specific issue or topic,” e.g. “Okay, I’ll look into prices for the hardware, Marketing will buy the ad space, Joe and Sarah start making calls, and we’ll touch base again on Friday.”
Of course, this was promptly ruined by every corporate wonk in existence seemingly awakening one day with the Word of God in their hearts, decreeing that evermore shall any instance of any verb at all related, however vaguely, to “communicate,” be replaced with this phrase instead. The following is, or might as well be, a near-verbatim excerpt from any given call with our sales staff.
Salesperson: “I touched base with the client on Thursday to see if they were still interested, and they’d touched base with their users and now three more groups want in! So I just wanted to touch base with the home team and let you know about this great opportunity to leverage even more of our products!”
Product manager: “Great! I’ll touch base with the tech team,” [Oh come on, I’m sitting RIGHT THE FUCK HERE…] “and check on timeframes, but from my end we should be able to have it ready in a week.”
Me: “Sure, that’ll work just fine.”
Salesperson: “Awesome! So, I’ll touch base with Fred and tell him we’ll be ready by next Thursday, and then we…”
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Can you people not HEAR yourselves?! Maybe I should leverage a pair of earplugs…
Not in that case; it makes more sense. But it’s misused all the time, and fundamentally it’s a noun, not a verb.
Whenever I’ve heard proactive used in a business sense, the intent is that of aggressive action towards a positive goal. Sounds great until you realize they’re actually talking about keeping on top of desk litter, or some other menial task.
Prophylaxis, but I don’t that’d go over real well in most business settings.