Being a writer and English teacher, I'm irked by overused (and often inappropriate) words and phrases. It drives me crazy, for example, when a literate, erudite interviewer asks a good question and the interviewee begins his or her response with "So."
Another annoying language tic is the use of the word "evolution" when "development" makes more sense. I even heard someone talk about the "evolution" of medical devices. Trust me, if you've ever had a mammogram or been treated with a vaginal device (I know that at least half of you haven't!), you know that some medical devices haven't "evolved" much!
And so it is with bicycles. Writers facing deadline will refer to the "evolution" of the bicycle when they're describing how the Draisienne became today's computer-designed machines.
Then again, they might not be too far off the mark:
Hmm... Maybe the bicycle has "evolved" more than humans have--or, at least, more than humans ever will if we don't get rid of war.
Another annoying language tic is the use of the word "evolution" when "development" makes more sense. I even heard someone talk about the "evolution" of medical devices. Trust me, if you've ever had a mammogram or been treated with a vaginal device (I know that at least half of you haven't!), you know that some medical devices haven't "evolved" much!
And so it is with bicycles. Writers facing deadline will refer to the "evolution" of the bicycle when they're describing how the Draisienne became today's computer-designed machines.
Then again, they might not be too far off the mark:
Hmm... Maybe the bicycle has "evolved" more than humans have--or, at least, more than humans ever will if we don't get rid of war.
So, like the vast majority now start with so?
ReplyDeleteOur glorious leaders set such good examples...
So they are setting a terrible example!
ReplyDelete