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In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Matthew Miller writes:
> Jeff Jardine <jwjardin@diespam.mccain.ca> wrote:
> > "Eighty-four percent of the Usage Panel disapproves of the construction to
> > impact on, as in the phrase 'social pathologies, common to the inner city,
> > that impact heavily on such a community.' Ninety-five percent disapprove of
>
> This usage is clearly metaphorical. Where's the problem?
One clue is they had to use an adverb to make the meaning. impact as a
metaphorical verb is a new and awkward shortcut for "to make an impact". If
over time everybody understands that 'to impact' means 'to place a burden
on', then it will be fine for pathologies to impact, but as a metaphor it
conjures up meteorite images that are just silly. A translation of "to
impact" would still sound better in that context.
Meanwhile it's one of those usages that creates a sleep-inducing report,
like too many passive verbs.
And how about those impacted schedules. And "My schedule was impacted by a
showstopper" misuses two words (or do two wrongs make a right?). A moment of
great impact. Froop, I impact you. I'm buying a Chevy Impacta. I hope nobody
impacts me in the turn lane.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Geek Speak?
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| (...) What makes you think the meteorite imagery wasn't intended? In fact, it's exactly the reason the word is chosen: it implies a quick, overwhelming, and hard-to-unavoid effect. If your complaint is about excessive hyperbole, okay, you have a (...) (22 years ago, 16-Nov-02, to lugnet.off-topic.fun, lugnet.off-topic.geek)
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