You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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If you’ve seen one of the all-time greatest movies, “The Princess Bride,” you instantly remember this column’s title as Inigo Montoya’s admonition to Vizzini regarding the latter’s frequent misuse of “inconceivable.”
I often find myself silently echoing Montoya’s words when I read articles, websites, blog posts, proposals, and presentations. The writers behind those materials are eager to use impressive-sounding words, but all too often, they demonstrate their ignorance of the words’ true meanings.
For example, I recently read an article in a national magazine claiming that a particular musician had earned his notoriety by producing a couple albums. “Notoriety” was the wrong word – unless those albums were downright offensive or horrible.
If you believe that “notoriety” is synonymous with “fame,” you should know there’s a huge distinction between the two. Fame is something you earn by doing good, positive, impressive things. Notoriety comes to you when you do something bad – ideally, something truly evil or sinister. Zach Edey is famous. Sam Bankman-Fried is notorious. John Dillinger earned his notoriety by robbing banks, while Elliot Ness gained his fame by arresting criminals. The same rules apply to “famous” and “infamous.” If you’re famous, people look up to you. If you’re infamous, you’re equally notable, but for the wrong reasons.
It’s not just a matter of being picky. Language is most powerful when it’s precise. You may not believe there’s anything wrong about using imprecise words, but when you’re communicating with people who know the real meanings of those words, they’re likely to conclude that you’re not all that bright or competent. Let’s look at some of the most common examples of frequently misused words, so you don’t undo your efforts to be impressive.
Incredible. Because of its use in popular culture, many people believe “incredible” refers to things that are beyond wonderful. In reality, the word literally suggests something that isn’t credible. In other words, something that can’t be believed. Tell me your company makes incredible products, and I’m going to assume you’re blatantly lying. (That’s also true of “unbelievable,” which means “can’t be believed.”)
Fantastic. Yes, another word most people assume means significantly better than the norm. What does it actually mean? Something that isn’t real. That’s because its root is in “fantasy.” Tell me your product is fantastic and I’ll assume it exists only in your imagination.
Decimate. Think the last recession decimated your business? Probably not. While many people believe this word means “wipe out” or “eliminate,” it really refers to a ten percent reduction. If the recession led you to lay off 40 of your 400 employees, then yes, it decimated your company.
Ironic. Alanis Morissette deserves at least part of the blame for this one. Something that’s ironic surprises you because it’s the opposite of what could normally be expected. Rain on your wedding day may be strikingly unpleasant, but unless your ceremony is scheduled for the desert, it probably isn’t ironic.
Dilemma. Not every problem is a dilemma. That’s because this word refers specifically to situations in which someone has to make a difficult choice between two — and only two — options. Not being able to schedule vacation time is frustrating, but it isn’t a dilemma. Having to choose between Aruba and Bonaire … now there’s a dilemma.
Uninterested. This one shows up in contracts and MOUs, but probably shouldn’t be there. It simply means “not interested” in whatever’s being discussed. If your intent is describing someone who is playing an unbiased role or doesn’t have a legal or financial interest in what you’re discussing, the word you want is “disinterested.”
Flaunt. That co-worker who clearly ignores the employee handbook isn’t “flaunting” the rules, they’re “flouting” them. Flaunting refers to showing off, such as the co-worker who showed up this morning with a shiny new engagement ring.
Conversate. While I hear this one with increasing frequency, I can’t call it a word –because it isn’t one. When you talk about having a conversation with someone, you “converse,” not “conversate.” There’s no such word.
There are also the word pairs that are often mistakenly interchanged. If your company’s workers are constantly griping, you probably don’t have a “moral” problem, but should definitely do something about their morale. Your third-quarter marketing strategy may be completely rational, but your explanation for it is called a “rationale.” And if your industry’s competition was “doggie-dog,” it would be pretty cute, but since it’s actually vicious, we’ll call it “dog-eat-dog.”
If you want your language to be powerful, don’t layer it with words you really don’t understand. Keep it precise and you’ll always present what you have to say in the best light.
Scott Flood creates effective copy for companies and other organizations. His guide to evaluating freelance creative talent, The Smarter Strategy for Selecting Suppliers can be downloaded at http://sfwriting.com/freeguide, and his blog is at http://sfwriting.com/blog.