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Subject:Pet Peeves From:Liz Babcock <Liz_Babcock -at- C28B5 -dot- CHINALAKE -dot- NAVY -dot- MIL> Date:Wed, 13 Oct 1993 16:52:20 -0800
Mail*Link(r) SMTP Pet Peeves
In reference to the list's 11 October discussion on "obviously" and other pet
peeves, my own unfavorite is "arguably," a term I contend is used by the lazy
writer who wants to state an opinion, but doesn't want to spend time looking
around to see whether or not that opinion is justified.
The Los Angeles Times in its infinite wisdom has recently decided that the
desert community of 30,000 where I live (150 miles from L.A.) is not worth
delivering papers door to door (and my sudden inability to receive a good daily
paper at my doorstep is "arguably" my pet peeve of the year). Not reading the
Times with any regularity, however, has relieved my close friend of having to
listen to my daily carping about the use of "arguably" in the Times. Perhaps
the word slightly relieved deadline pressures for the paper's feature writers,
who could just throw in a few "arguably"s and not have to consult other
authorities to see if their views held water.
