Re: Is "proactive" really a word?

[Tracy Boyington <tracy_boyington -at- OKVOTECH -dot- ORG>]

Ron D Rhodes wrote:

>      Is "proactive" a word?
>
>      I hear it used a lot in sentences like "We should take a 'proactive'
>      approach to training."  I don't really know what people people are
>      trying to say when they use this word, but I think it's akin to taking
>      initiative, anticipating problems and fixing them before the happen.

This is the way I've always heard it used. It's considered the opposite
of "reactive."

>      I checked my Oxford American Dictionary (Avon Press) and I didn't see
>      the word.

That's interesting. I always thought it was a "real word," but it's not
in my dictionary either. Maybe it's one of them new fancy-schmancy 90s
words.

Tracy
--
==============================================
Tracy Boyington   tracy_boyington -at- okvotech -dot- org
Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education
Stillwater, OK, USA
http://www.okvotech.org/cimc/home.htm
==============================================

 TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot-  Send commands
   to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
  Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/  or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html