Re: I just heard another one

Subject: Re: I just heard another one
From: Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:06:44 -0800

Gene Kim-Eng wrote:
> This term has been used as a verb by astronmers for a
> very long time (meteors "impact" on the surface of planets).
> I can recall hearing it as far back as the 1950's.

This is cool, to think that astronomical imagery is the thing that makes
'impact' the word of choice for punching up every little mundane thing
that happens into something dramatic that impacts, is impactful, or will
be impacted.

I personally have tended to think such usage comes from the field of
dentistry. Project managers seem to be harking to that when they
describe a deliverable as 'going sideways' when it starts taking up
more than its allocation of space in the timeline, impacting the project
budget and schedule.

Until we start encouraging business people to complete their thoughts
about alleged impact--they could refer to deliverables as wisdom teeth,
for example, or quantify the size of the impact in terms of kilotons of
TNT--I'm afraid we'll just have to guess at the impressive imagery
they're hoping to evoke.

Ned "This reorg will produce vivid sunsets for years to come"
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References:
RE: I just heard another one: From: Ron Hearn
RE: I just heard another one: From: McLauchlan, Kevin
RE: I just heard another one: From: Keith Hansen
Re: I just heard another one: From: Kate Hough
Re: I just heard another one: From: Gene Kim-Eng

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