Buzzwords: Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down

[The Atheist]

The one that's very annoying to me is "orientate," and I'm seeing it in common usage too, although my first encounters were in business context. "Orient" is a perfectly good word, and means exactly the same as whatever people are trying to communicate with their extended version.

Agree. Pople should leave their orientation for sex.

I also immensely dislike "at the end of the day" and "my name is on the door" -- and in fact, one of the heros at the large corporation that employed me for over a decade put out a video which he titled "At The End Of The Day, My Name Is On The Door." It always made me wonder whose name was on the door in the morning?

There's an excellent counter to that. When someone uses it during a conversation, every time it's uttered, swiftly add in a one of the following: "the next day starts" "the sun goes down", or devise own. Guaranteed cure in one conversation.

 

[Alphaman]

The word that really bugs me is "buzzword" -- it grates like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just what is the etymology of that word, anyways?

 

[Foolmewunz]

The word that really bugs me is "buzzword" -- it grates like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just what is the etymology of that word, anyways?

Actually, that's an excellent point, but I think it's why I chose it as the thread title. It's an irritating word describing the use of irritating words or expressions.

(I'd like to know the etymology on it, too. I'm at work, hoping that damned A380 ((see Forum Community)) will make another fly-by, and have a lunch appointment, so don't know if I'll find time to dig into it. If anyone comes up with it, I'd be curious to know.)

 

[fuelair]

The word that really bugs me is "buzzword" -- it grates like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just what is the etymology of that word, anyways?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/buzzword

also wikipedia

www.dogpile.com is our friend

 

[The Atheist]

The word that really bugs me is "buzzword" -- it grates like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just what is the etymology of that word, anyways?

Wow!

You used up your whole annual posting allowance to let us know?

You really do hate it, eh?

 

[jsfisher]

The one I hate is Synergy.

That tops my list, too, although usually in the form "synergistic."

 

[Terry]

Push the Envelope - just what the H does it mean?

Flight envelope^WP

 

[Foolmewunz]

[qimg]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/13/PerformanceEnvelope.gif/644px-PerformanceEnvelope.gif[/qimg]
Flight envelope^WP

Oh, I'm glad we cleared that up!

It's my thread and there will be no math! (And we'll grade on a curve, anyway!)

 

[zooterkin]

Agreed on the previous comments regarding proactive. I don't like the word, but I haven't found a good replacement for the opposite of reactive.

The phrase that my company uses a lot recently, but which I have no clue as to what it means, is go to market. This is used as if it refers to a new idea, but as far as I can tell it just means selling things.

 

[rjh01]

Eh?

Not sure whether you might be having a jape here, but proactive is good, being the opposite of reactive. Do you want a sales rep who sits at his desk waiting for customers to call (reactive), or one who gets out there and makes it happen (proactive)?

If you have a more succinct way of putting it, let me know - I use it all the time!

Another word that can be used instead of proactive sometimes is preemptive. See definition 3b.

Undertaken or initiated to deter or prevent an anticipated, usually unpleasant situation or occurrence: The two companies organized a preemptive alliance against a possible takeover by another firm.

One thing about the English language there are many words that either mean the same or similar to other words.

 

[The Atheist]

Another word that can be used instead of proactive sometimes is preemptive. See definition 3b.


One thing about the English language there are many words that either mean the same or similar to other words.

But not that one.

The key bit is here:

prevent an anticipated, usually unpleasant situation or occurrence

There are two elements there which don't work: the anticipation and the unpleasantness. "Pro-active" in business is not about anticipated business, it's about potential business, for which one needs to not sit on one's arse, but go forth amongst one's customers and potential customers, for a pleasant outcome (fat bonus cheque).

It's a great word, embrace it!

 

[rjh01]

I just query if the word proactive is used correctly by The Atheist. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proactive

The word proactive was originally coined by the psychiatrist Victor Frankl in his 1946 book Man's Search for Meaning to describe a person who took responsibility for his or her life, rather than looking for causes in outside circumstances or other people. Much of this theory was formed in Nazi concentration camps where Frankl lost his wife, mother, father and family, but decided that even under the worst circumstances, people can make and find meaning.
The term was popularized in the business press in Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Though he used the word in Frankl's original sense, the word has come to mean "to act before a situation becomes a source of confrontation or crisis" vs. after the fact. It is frequently misused to mean simply "active" the opposite of passive.

 

[zooterkin]

I just query if the word proactive is used correctly by The Atheist. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proactive

The Atheist is using the word in the way it is used in business. The pre-existing meaning that you quote is one of the reasons I don't like using it.

 

[slyjoe]

Paradigm shift.

 

[fuelair]

Agreed on the previous comments regarding proactive. I don't like the word, but I haven't found a good replacement for the opposite of reactive.

The phrase that my company uses a lot recently, but which I have no clue as to what it means, is go to market. This is used as if it refers to a new idea, but as far as I can tell it just means selling things.

http://www.terrygold.com/t/2005/01/buzzword_bingo_.html

it appears to mean get it out there and (as you say) sell it/see how it does.


There are few new ideas, mostly just old ones gold trimmed, pumped up in price and vomited out in hopes something will be accomplished (who moved my cheese and tossed my fish away?).

 

[The Atheist]

P*****gm shift.

Thanks!

That's just the last straw.

Happily abusing my powers as Grammar Tyrant, the word "p*****gm" is henceforth deleted.

 

[The Atheist]

it appears to mean get it out there and (as you say) sell it/see how it does.

Uh, well no.

"Seeing how it does" would be reactive.

"Getting out and selling" is pro-active.

 

[Foolmewunz]

In terms of cube-farms and the world of Dilbertville, pro-active actually has a lot of its original meaning.

True, it's used by a lot of the seminar and team-building* types as a sales and marketing mantra, but it's also used in the sense of spotting potential problems and fixing the system or process before said problem occurs.

*Team-building - the words aren't so bad, the concept doesn't work, though, unless you find ways to do it during the work day and in the work environment.

Paradigm. How about we make it mandatory to pronounce the g? I've seen people reading another person's Powerpoint and pronounce it, with a soft g. Since then I alway use it sarcastically, but with a hard g - "par a dig em". Properly sold, we could make it the new "irregardless".

 

[The Atheist]

Paradigm. How about we make it mandatory to pronounce the g? I've seen people reading another person's Powerpoint and pronounce it, with a soft g. Since then I alway use it sarcastically, but with a hard g - "par a dig em". Properly sold, we could make it the new "irregardless".

Not bad. How about a step further and lose the pronunciation on the first "a" while we donate it to the "g", to give "pra-dig'-em", with a nice emphasis on the "dig"?

I really think "paradigm" is a word which has no relevant uses, there always being a far better alternative.

Sell the "dime" in "paradigm"!

 

[drkitten]

The one that's very annoying to me is "orientate," and I'm seeing it in common usage too, although my first encounters were in business context. "Orient" is a perfectly good word, and means exactly the same as whatever people are trying to communicate with their extended version.

I think you're just objecting to Briticisms. "Orient" is not a perfectly good word in the UK (although most educated Brits can at least understand American, even if they don't speak it and don't like listening to it). But the correct verb on the eastern side of the Atlantic is "orientate."

I'll bet you don't like "aluminium," either....