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DB quotes the American Heritage Dictionary on the use of "impact" as a
transitive verb:
> . . . in their comments some Panelists labeled the usage as
> "bureaucratic,""pretentious,""vile," and "a vulgarism.". . . .
> But though impact may have begun life a generation ago as an
> inflated substitute for "affect significantly," it has by now
> become so common in corporate and institutional contexts
> that younger speakers appear to regard it as wholly standard
> and straightforward usage.
"Younger speakers"... geez, now at 32 I'm an old fogey?!
Sounds like there are some contradictions in the AHD's stand on this
word. First they disparage it as "bureaucratic," and then they say
that since the usage has firmly taken hold in the bureaucracy, it will
soon be considered standard usage (and thus, they imply, acceptable).
So the usage is "vile" when pretentious bureaucrats do it, but
acceptable when younger speakers innocently parrot it? Feh. (But
thanks for that perspective, DB. <g>)
Suffering from early-onset curmudgeon syndrome,
Christine
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