RE: In love with a word

["Clare Turner" <cturner -at- redflex -dot- com>]

<snip> Actually utilize is not a synonym of use. Utilize
means to make use of something usually for a purpose
it was not originally intended. For example, I
utilized the spoon to dig a hole.<snip>

OK, I've stayed out of this nonsense up to now, but you've hit a nerve
with me on this last post...where on God's green earth did you come up
with *that*?!

While I *hate* (can NOT over-emphasize that) the use of the word
"utilize", I CAN leave room for the possibility that there MAY be a
valid use (aha) for this over-and-miss-used term - see below from
Dictionary.com:

Usage Note: A number of critics have remarked that utilize is an
unnecessary substitute for use. It is true that many occurrences of
utilize could be replaced by use with no loss to anything but
pretentiousness, for example, in sentences such as They utilized
questionable methods in their analysis or We hope that many commuters
will continue to utilize mass transit after the bridge has reopened. But
utilize can mean "to find a profitable or practical use for." Thus the
sentence The teachers were unable to use the new computers might mean
only that the teachers were unable to operate the computers, whereas The
teachers were unable to utilize the new computers suggests that the
teachers could not find ways to employ the computers in instruction.

FURTHERMORE...

utilize
v 1: put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular
purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we
only use Spanish at home"; "I can't make use of this tool"; "Apply a
magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How
do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results";
"use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a
computer" 

*[syn: use, utilise, apply, employ]*
 2: convert (from an investment trust to a unit trust)


HOWEVER!  I can't buy your last proposition regarding the "proper" use
of "utilize"...

Clare Turner, Technical Writer
Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.
15020 N. 74th St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480.607.3583

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+cturner=redflex -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+cturner=redflex -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Toni Williams
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 10:11 AM
To: Ian -dot- Saunders -at- vodafone -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: In love with a word

Quote: <IMO, Why use an archaic term like "whilst"
when "while" will do? Why use "utilised" instead of
"used"? It isn't a creative writing exercise.>

Actually utilize is not a synonym of use. Utilize
means to make use of something usually for a purpose
it was not originally intended. For example, I
utilized the spoon to dig a hole.
Just my two cents.
Toni



		
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