Re: Use v. utilize (was Re: Simple Verbiage Question)

[Tom Murrell <tmurrell -at- COLUMBUS -dot- RR -dot- COM>]

"What good are nuances if the reader doesn't appreciate them?"  I think
doing the right thing need not depend on who is watching.  If, as I hope, we
have all had some training in the language, I can hope also that we have
each developed some appreciation for both its subtleties and its nuances.

I guess to simplify what could become a long self-righteous rant, I would
say that it's important because, as writers, we help define the correct use
of language.  And because we're professionals, we should uphold some
professional standards.  We are as responsible for the care and feeding of
the language as crusty English professors and editors of dictionaries.

Tom Murrell
Senior Grammatical Protector & Defender Of The Faith

----------
>From: LDurway -at- PAV -dot- COM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Re: Use v. utilize (was Re: Simple Verbiage Question)
>Date: Thu, Aug 26, 1999, 4:40 PM
>

> I've been mulling over that same issue recently.  What good are the
nuances
> if the reader doesn't appreciate them?  Subtle distinctions tend to lead
> readers into ambiguity rather than away.
>
> Lindsey
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> All depends on the reader's background, of course.  It's possible
>> that a reader of MW's example wouldn't know that it's not
>> traditional to use a bucket as a planter -- but would a reader
>> who didn't know that be likely to have the kind of background
>> that would make him or her attuned to that subtle distinction
>> between "used" and "utilized"?
>>
>
>
>