CONTENTS FEATURE: Top 10 misused and overused words—part 1 GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions NET NOTES: Captivating Web sites FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn up to $500 FEATURE: Top 10 misused and overused words—part 1      The dynamics of language are comparable to the evolution of a city. New construction continually alters the skyline and existing buildings take on new uses, while shopworn or obsolete structures are rehabilitated or abandoned. Likewise, the language sprawls with new words and new meanings for existing words. Meanwhile, other words become tiresome or archaic.      Habitual misuse and overuse gradually can transform words from vibrant to vapid. EditPros has compiled a list of the current top 10 shopworn words that need to be rehabilitated—by using them more sparingly and judiciously. 10. FACILITATE      The term "facilitate" has become commonly used as a pretentious substitute for the verbs "organize" and "conduct"—and sometimes for other verbs as well. Some people are discontented to simply conduct meetings; they prefer to say that they "facilitate" them. They probably don't realize that "facilitate" means "to make easier or to help bring about" (as in "facilitate economic recovery"). An educational consulting firm announced that it had "facilitated a planning process for a consortium of nine independent school districts that resulted in...funding for equipment and staff development." In that case, "facilitated" was used as a surrogate for the word "directed." The same firm said that it had opened a field office "to facilitate our working in the Central Valley." In that instance, it meant "expedite." The financial statement of another organization stated that "this consistent performance has facilitated the repayment of a large portion of the group's debt." The verb "induced" would have been preferable. Every such misuse corrupts the proper meaning of "facilitate." 9. PROVIDER      A century or more ago, shopkeepers fancied themselves "purveyors" of merchandise. The term "provider" is today's corresponding affectation. These days, marketing consultants, computer software sellers, business strategy advisers, companies that market telephone equipment, computer networking companies and others engaged in selling various products and services all identify themselves as "providers of business solutions." When a company describes itself as a "provider," consumers can't determine whether it's a manufacturer, dealer, consultant or installer. One firm calls itself a "provider of business application solutions." Another computer software company uses the term "cryptographic service provider" in reference to its computer security application. A recent legislative bill in Colorado identified any person or entity in the business of selling electricity to retail customers as a "provider of electric service"—which, oddly, does not encompass municipal utilities themselves. Parents entrust their children to a "daycare provider"— which may or may not be a person who actually cares for their children. The Contra Costa Child Care Council in the San Francisco Bay Area uses the term "provider" specifically in reference to the administrator of a licensed child care facility.      Among medical professionals, the term "provider" has become politically charged. Many physicians resent being called "health care providers," a term that insurance companies use in reference to nurse-practitioners, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic laboratories and even ambulance companies and medical equipment suppliers. The term is embedded in the name of one managed care model, the preferred provider organization (PPO).      The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has issued a position paper condemning use of "provider" in reference to physicians. "The term 'provider' is one of bureaucratic origin and has no significance or relevance beyond that created by regulators and insurers," the position paper declares. "The effect of the term is to create confusion among individuals seeking care, especially those seeking care within a managed care environment. The implication is that 'providers' are interchangeable and patients can expect to receive the same level of care from any 'provider.' Use of the term is especially inappropriate if it is employed as a tactic to confuse and thereby encourage use of health care professionals of less cost to the insurer." AAFP also objects on other semantic grounds: "The term 'provider' implies that the relationship between the patient and physician is a commercial transaction." 8. SOLUTION      Marketers once appealed to consumers by identifying their needs and fulfilling them. Nowadays, marketers seem to believe that consumers are troubled by problems that require "solutions." A manufacturer of televisions and audio equipment offers "home entertainment solutions"—as if home entertainment has been a problem. A company that produces devices that were previously called cash registers now calls them "retail solutions" and "point-of-service solutions." A parcel delivery service offers "delivery solutions." A company that produces battery backup units and surge suppressors for computers markets "power availability solutions." A computer networking company touts "Internet and intranet solutions." A radio communication equipment company promises "wireless solutions." A company that fabricates beams, trusses and other construction materials offers "roofing solutions."      The preface of a book on computer technology stated, "The term solutions, as used throughout this book, refers to applications, tools, software services, interactive Web pages, and any other products created with a programming or script language." The computer and data processing industries formed the seedbed that propagated the term "solutions" as a marketing incantation. An organization called the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) acknowledges that the term has become pervasive in the technology sector. A survey that the organization conducted revealed that more than 90 percent of ITSMA members claim to be focusing on "solutions." ITSMA said that it discovered "countless references to 'business solutions,' 'enterprise solutions,' 'industry solutions,' and the like."      After helping popularize the term "solution provider" in the early 1990s, Microsoft Inc. has abandoned its use in reference to affiliated companies, a significant proportion of which now prefer to call themselves "business consultants."      Sometimes a "solution" is no more than just a product. More commonly, a "solution" is a package consisting of consulting services along with sale and installation of a product. The best solution to rectify overuse of this term would be to revert to honest, precise descriptions of products and services. 7. BASICALLY      No redemption is available for the adverb "basically," which is rarely necessary. Qualifiers such as "absolutely," "actually," "basically," "essentially," "really" and "totally" are the linguistic equivalent of processed starchy foods—adding bulk, but contributing little or no nutritional value. A corporate profile includes a statement that "The company is basically engaged in the manufacture and distribution of petrochemical products." A consumer guide about dry rot stated that "Wood decay is basically the reverse of wood formation." It added, "Traditional full-wall irrigation using standard water- based fungicides injected under pressure...usually introduces too many problems and is basically unnecessary." An announcement on a Web site declared, "A hacker decided to hack our server and basically deleted all of our data. So I basically decided to shut down...for around two months or so." A highway patrol officer describing an automobile accident to a news reporter said, "Basically, the driver just fell asleep."      The adverb "basically" means "in fundamental disposition or nature," as in "Lorna is basically correct." Intentionally and properly used, introduction of "basically" in that sentence indicates that although Lorna arrived at the correct conclusion, her logic or some other aspect of her argument was flawed. It indicates conditional or even grudging approval.      A company either manufactures petrochemical products or it doesn't. Wood decay either is or isn't the antithesis of wood formation. A procedure either is or isn't necessary. A hacker either did or didn't delete all files. The Web site either was or wasn't shut down. And the driver either fell asleep or remained awake. None of those statements leaves room for equivocation.      We'll continue unveiling our top-10 list of misused and overused terms in the February edition of EditPros News. Yes! EditPros can help you identify and replace shopworn terms in your documents. GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions Mike May submitted this month's question: "Why is it that we hear on the news that, for example, 'Two troops were killed today'? I think of a troop as a bunch of soldiers. Can you really say that 'one troop was killed today'? Are they using the word 'troop' so they don't have to distinguish between a marine, soldier or airman? It seems strange to picture a troop of one. Perhaps this notion will spread to flocks, herds and teams." The grammar coach replies:      "Troop" is a collective noun meaning a group or company of people, animals or objects. It's commonly used in reference to a military formation—specifically, to an army cavalry unit or infantry company, as well as to soldiers who compose such a unit.      It is derived from Middle French "trope" or "troupe," meaning "company" or "herd."      "Trooper" is the proper name for an individual member of a cavalry unit or for a state police officer. Synonyms include "soldiers," "combatants," "GIs" and "servicemen and servicewomen."      Thanks for submitting your question, Mike!      Are you perplexed by some aspect of grammar or word usage? Don't be shy! Ask the "grammar coach" at EditPros and we'll try to help—at no charge, just for the sport of it. NET NOTES: Captivating Internet resources Free credit report      Under a new U.S. law, the three major credit reporting agencies are required to let you examine your credit report free of charge once each year. Although the data is initially available only to residents of Western states, the phased introduction will encompass the entire country by September. Investor Education Resources      Learn more about investing with the help of instructional materials prepared by the Investment Company Institute, a national association representing the investment industry. Educational topics include mutual funds, unit investment trusts and education savings. DeWitt Wallace Center Op-Ed Resource      If you're preparing to write an op-ed (opposite the editorial page) submission for a newspaper or magazine, first explore this site. Here you'll find a primer called the "ABCs of op-ed writing," developed by the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn a finder's fee of up to $500      Do you know of a friend or colleague whose office can benefit from EditPros services? 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