When people who make their living as writers use words like “incentivize” in nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, I become more and more convinced that (a) there are not enough editors in our world, and (b) the English language is doomed…
I’m also of the opinion that the individuals who name paint (or paper) colors should be ostracized and ridiculed regularly. My building is being repainted, and one of the color choices is something called “Mauve Madness”. My guess is that this shade would be best complemeted by a combination of “Fierce Fuschia” and “Extreme Ecru”, but I’m not sure if anyone else agrees…
However, today’s official overused buzzword of the day, “hegemony”, is more often seen in academic writing. Like most overused buzzwords which are actual proper English words — unlike “incentivize” — it has origins as a perfectly acceptable means of expressing a certain thought. However, it moves into the realm of the cliché when used, without irony or apology, fourteen times in a single chapter or essay. It’s also indicative of a lazy writer…
But maybe I just read too much non-fiction…
