Yes it's great but is it iconic?

[davidnewtonguitars]

USA...
Every sentence starts with "So..." the summary: "at the end of the day"... with a questioning voice inflection in the middle.

 

[tbhv55]

Thanks for sharing that with us Keith. I think we can cover off your concern about that across the organization and if no member has any other suggestion for actioning this I could progress it my end by establishing a workshop. That would help us leverage language-improvements to meet our communication KPIs going forward.

On reading this, it suddenly seemed as though I was back at work... 😱🙂

 

[lynnb]

How awesome, an iconic thread! Great!

 

[lynnb]

On reading this, it suddenly seemed as though I was back at work... 😱🙂

Yes, me too. Could've done without the reminder 😱

 

[Roger Hicks]

I tutor in a college Writing Center, and most of my tutees have never used a thesaurus, even an online version. I try to introduce them to the exciting (at least to me) world of synonyms. A few of them get it.

A thesaurus is an extremely poor substitute for building a vocabulary through reading, the more so as alleged synonyms often have slightly or even widely different meanings. I remember one appalling passage that had clearly relied heavily on a thesaurus. The hero's sword was variously described as a sword, a sabre, a cutlass, a scimitar and even a yatagan.

Although I have a thesaurus, I normally use it only when I can't remember a specific word despite knowing that it is e.g. a variety of sword. I can't remember the last time I used it. If a word doesn't come naturally, you shouldn't use it: I applaud your students' refusal to consult the beastly things.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Brian Atherton]

There’s more…

“Important to recognise”
“I, personally”
“Gotten”

And what happened to ‘cannot’, which now has universally morphed into ‘can not’?

Back in the day (another of my dislikes) it was ‘fab’ when something was ‘iconic’ or ‘awesome’, and before that, “groovy daddio”… but perhaps this shows my age. 😎

 

[Roger Hicks]

This is driving me nuts, completely and utterly nuts. . . . .

If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: don't exaggerate. Yes, it's a ridiculous usage. So is beginning everything with "so". But if it's driving you "nuts, completely and utterly nuts" you may need to reassess your priorities.

Over-use of "iconic" is a fad, especially among those with limited vocabularies or (still more likely) with limited imagination. It will pass. Forty years ago, the word "magic" enjoyed an unwarranted vogue as a synonym for good, skilled, excellent, exciting, remarkable, better than average, and more. It is very seldom used that way any more.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I tutor in a college Writing Center, and most of my tutees have never used a thesaurus, even an online version. I try to introduce them to the exciting (at least to me) world of synonyms. A few of them get it.

Or, "I teach in a college Writing Center, and most of my students have never used a thesaurus, even an online version. I try to introduce them to the exciting (at least to me) world of synonyms. A few of them get it.

"Tutor" as a verb, apparently in this case used intransitively, and "tutee" in any context whatsoever, grate heavily on my sensibilities; but then, I assume you are in the United States, where English is not the same language as in England. The same is true in India, of course. For example, the sump (in an English motor car engine) is an oil pan in American and a chamber in Indian English. Neither my wife (who is American) nor I had ever heard the word "tutee"; and we both hope never to encounter it again.

Because I'd never heard it, I looked it up in the OED. The first appearance of "tutee" (in 1927) is described as a "queer coinage"; and of course "queer" has hard different meanings in different contexts.

Cheers,

R.

 

[icebear]

Nowadays everything needs to be bigger, better, faster, more ... the greatest of all times :bang: ... in short iconic 🙄.
Do I care ... mmh ,yeah a bit but it definitely doesn't drive me nuts😀.

 

[valdas]

May I give my observation (as a person who speaks some English as a foreign language)... I think that when there is no real substance in an article modern journalists are running out of superlatives trying to create the impression of such substance. I see a lot of "epic", "mouth watering" and other stuff describing pretty mundane things. Or it's maybe just my Eastern European English at fault.

 

[rumbliegeos]

For some time In the US every critical national issue, especially social issues, becomes the subject of a "conversation", not a serious discussion or debate. Iconic is one of those words that loses its general meaning very quickly when overused.

 

[jsrockit]

Still, I'd rather hear the words in this thread more than 'lux, 'cron, buttery (smooth), and creamy (bokeh).

 

[Roger Hicks]

May I give my observation (as a person who speaks some English as a foreign language)... I think that when there is no real substance in an article modern journalists are running out of superlatives trying to create the impression of such substance. I see a lot of "epic", "mouth watering" and other stuff describing pretty mundane things. Or it's maybe just my Eastern European English at fault.

No, it isn't. You're absolutely right.

Cheers,

R.

 

[rbsinto]

Still, I'd rather hear the words in this thread more than 'lux, 'cron, buttery (smooth), and creamy (bokeh).

You forgot one of my favorites, "Leicaglow", or what is referred to in other manufacturers' lenses as "flare".
Robert

 

[jsrockit]

You forgot one of my favorites, "Leicaglow", or what is referred to in other manufacturers' lenses as "flare".
Robert

Right... I mean why doesn't anyone talk about Nikon 50mm 1.8D glow?

 

[oftheherd]

This is driving me nuts, completely and utterly nuts. Why, why, why does everything of even the remotest importance have to be described as 'iconic'? Does anyone know what this word means or, at least, used to mean? What's wrong with famous, important, well known, significant, imaginative, groundbreaking etc.?

Perhaps it's the current mini-heatwave here in 'iconic' London town or maybe someone else, somewhere else is being driven quietly insane by the constant use of this word? If so, you have my sympathy...

It bugs me too. How can one use the work iconic unless it is also mint? 😛 😀

 

[ferider]

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . They refuse to use the things because they are lazy. So if you applaud them, you laud them for being shiftless!

Dear Steve,

No, I don't. I applaud them for not using words they do not fully understand. Which they won't, from a thesaurus. At least not necessarily.

Cheers,

R.

 

[back alley]

post #21 is the only one that makes entire sense to me...😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hello again. The distinction in this case is that I am NOT a teacher. I'm a tutor, a writing coach. It's not my job to teach - I don't get paid enough for that, haha.

. . . On the other hand, it's a blog post, for God's sake, where one can take off the Grammar Boffin Hat upon occasion.
. . .

Dear Steve,

Para 1: You teach, therefore you are a teacher. It's not a matter of labels or remuneration.

Para 2: No. Writing good English is not a hat you wear. It's what you do, barring typos and brain fade.

Cheers,

R.