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Re: Re[2]: While we're on the topic of words . . .
Subject:Re: Re[2]: While we're on the topic of words . . . From:Laura Lemay <lemay -at- DEATH -dot- KALEIDA -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 4 Feb 1994 10:31:48 +0800
>This is an example of my favorite rule of contemporary English:
>"Any noun can be verbed."
Yesterday I sat squirming through a boring all-employee meeting in which
four people, in the space of an hour, used the verb "to incent," seven times,
as in:
"We need to come up with a pricing strategy that will incent our customers
to use our product."
When my own boss, our manager of publications, used it, I let out a small
shriek and had to be led gently from the room.
But I'm feeling much better now.
Laura, not usually a word weenie but I have my limits.