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>Al Geist asked why I think not using three particular terms is the key to
good marking writing.
It's mostly a set of pet peeves. All three words are clichés, and
"paradigm" is almost always misused.
If every integration or process is "seamless", the word loses all of its
impact. And it doesn't make sense - seams are a good thing. You wouldn't
want your clothes falling apart, and you wouldn't want to use only bias tape
or other non-seamed methods to hold them together. You might not want
highly visible seams like the ones in most jeans, but there are other kinds
of seams.
"Leverage" is almost always used as a fancy synonym for "use" or "take
advantage of". If it were used in its core meaning of amplifying something
small into a large effect, I would hate it less.
"Paradigm", at its core, means "stick". Its proper meaning is a pattern for
conjugating a verb or declining a noun. It's been so stretched to cover all
other kinds of patterns that it has lost its meaning. It's a cliché now and
an indicator, most of the time (not when Al uses it of course) of inexact
language use and maybe even inexact thinking.<
I don't buy your arguments, especially the one about "seam/seamless." I
don't think most of us view seamless in a sewing context (although I was
once married to a seamstress/clothing designer). As I said, know your
audience. If seamless, leverage, and paradigm mean something different than
what Jessica mentioned and are viewed as positive things by your audience,
then I say go ahead and use them.
Al Geist
Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
Office/Msg: 802-872-9190
Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
Website: www.geistassociates.com
See Also:
Fine Art Photography
Website: www.geistarts.com
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