CONTENTS FEATURE: Is that word proper—or pretentious? GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn up to $500 FEATURE: Is that word proper—or pretentious?      Anyone who has ever phoned friends to ask them what they plan to wear to a social event knows the importance of dressing appropriately. The evening gown and tuxedo that would be suitable for a diplomatic reception would be outrageously pompous at an afternoon backyard barbecue. Formality that is requisite for specific circumstances appears absurd in other contexts.      So it is with certain words that have an aura of formality.      One such word is the verb "utilize." Although some people may regard it as an overwrought or even fabricated word, "utilize" is legitimate—under specific circumstances. It is commonly misappropriated, however, in ways that are indeed pretentious.      "Use" is an all-purpose verb that means "to put into action or service." Fred can use a pen to write a letter, he can use a sales letter as an example of persuasive marketing, or he can use coat hangers to keep his shirts hanging neatly in his closet. If Fred says he prefers to "utilize" wooden hangers for his shirts, he would sound pompous—not because he prefers wood, but because of the way he expressed his preference.      The verb "utilize" has a specific connotation. It refers to a novel, expeditious or otherwise uncustomary application. If Fred's radio antenna had snapped off while he was driving through the car wash, he would not sound the least bit pompous if he said he "utilized" a metal coat hanger as a temporary antenna. That's because he used the hanger in a way for which it was not intended.      The verb "facilitate" is often used pretentiously. It literally means "to make easier" (as in "the company already has hired several employees in Nevada to facilitate relocation from Rochester to Reno"). It also can mean "help to bring about" (as in "the more favorable tax structure in Nevada will facilitate greater profits for the company").      More commonly, the word "facilitate" has become a bombastic substitute for a far more conventional verb, "conduct.      If a meeting would not have occurred without Julie's participation, or if her presence somehow makes the meeting easier to organize or tolerate, then she can truly say she "facilitated" the meeting. But if Julie is there mainly to ensure compliance with Robert's Rules of Order, or to coax agreement on a set of goals and responsibilities, then her role could be described as either conducting, directing, guiding, leading, managing or presiding over the meeting—plain and simple.      Use of a word may be labeled pretentious if its function is to claim a position of distinction or merit that is unearned or unjustifiable. The noun "pretense," from which the adjective "pretentious" is derived, refers to an appearance or action that is intended to deceive, or to a feigned reason or excuse. The noun "pretense" is linked etymologically to the Latin "praetendere"—to pretend or simulate. Pretense is showboating without substance, a thinly veiled attempt to create an impression of inflated importance.      Pretense underlies the use of the term "pre-owned" to describe what we all know is a used car, and the use of the contrived title "enterprise administrator" to describe someone who is paid to keep a computing network system operating.      Pretense is rampant in the resumes of job applicants, who no longer have simple skills but instead boast of their "skill sets." Rather than saying they manage or supervise units, applicants say they "provide oversight." Expressing familiarity with software applications is no longer adequate; now people claim expertise in "multiple business systems and solution environments."      Nowadays, "trying" is no longer adequate to some people who describe their attempts as "efforting." Employees under criminal investigation who are suspended from work are "placed on administrative leave" even though they are administering nothing while they remain at home. Agencies promise a "full-fledged" investigation of wrongdoing, yet no one will admit to conducting a "partially fledged" investigation. A pretentious advertisement touted a vintage of "approachable wines," as if customers were somehow prevented from moving in close enough to examine the labels and price stickers of other wines on the shelves.      The noun "transition" is often hijacked and incorrectly used as a verb in pretentious-sounding statements such as, "the company successfully transitioned to newly emerging markets"—in which use of a true verb such as "ENTERED newly emerging markets" would have improved grammatical integrity and sincerity.      Although the adverb "approximately" is not inherently pretentious, it can be perceived as such when its use is an apparent attempt to lend more weight than the equivalent adverbs "about," "almost" or "nearly." The prepositional phrase "relative to" in a statement such as "relative to equipment maintenance" can likewise appear excessively turgid if "concerning," "regarding" or "about" would convey the same idea.      The noun "initiative" (which relates to the verb "initiate") is perfectly acceptable in describing the introductory step in a process (as in taking the initiative to resolve a dispute) or a proposal for legislation (a ballot initiative). Its increasingly frequent use in place of the noun "proposal," however, sounds pretentious. And if an "initiative" gains "traction" (another trendy term that substitutes for "acceptance") expect that the plan will not be merely enacted or engaged or launched; it will be "implemented"—another perfectly good verb that is becoming tiresome through pretentious use.      Pretentious writing is often opaque, but its self-conscious intention to inflate importance is transparent. Writers communicate most effectively using concise sentences and clear terminology—language that is "approachable," as that wine claimed to be. Go ahead and pick up a bottle and bring it to that barbecue, if you wish. But wear cutoff jeans and a T-shirt, and leave the evening gown or tuxedo behind. GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions 1. T. C. Vitas wrote:      "When using the indefinite pronoun 'everyone' in a memo (e.g., 'Good morning, Everyone,' or 'Hi, Everyone,' should the word 'everyone' be capitalized?" The grammar coach replies:      Capitalization is appropriate for nouns used in salutations in formal correspondence, as in "Dear Friends" or "Dear Parents." But in casual messages with salutations such as "Good morning" or "Hi", lowercase would be appropriate for the indefinite pronoun "everyone," just as you would use lowercase for "Good morning, friends" or "Hello, campers." 2. Vickie Finley wrote:      "How do you address (in inside address and salutation of a letter) two doctors who are married to each other?" The grammar coach replies:      You wouldn't go wrong addressing the letter to "Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Smith" with "Dear Doctors John and Mary Smith" for a salutation.      If they have different surnames, the letter would be addressed to "Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Jones" with a salutation reading "Dear Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones".      3. Rix Lubenkov wrote:      "As you can see, my first name ends with an 'x'. I've recently purchased a Supra and want to get a personalized license plate. I was considering 'Rix Supra'. Possessive proper nouns ending in 'x' appear to be somewhat controversial. Can you help me out?" The grammar coach replies:Some style guides say that the possessive case of singular nouns (including proper names) ending in "x" may be formed either with an apostrophe alone (Rix' Supra) or with the addition of apostrophe-s (Rix's Supra). The use of apostrophe-s is endorsed by the two predominant style guides: the Associated Press Stylebook (used by newspapers and other journalistic publications) and the Chicago Manual of Style (used by magazine and book publishers). AP advises "always use 's if the word does not end in the letter "s," citing the example "Marx's theories." The Chicago Manual of Style agrees.      Still, you could use Rix as an adjective, without an apostrophe or "s" (Rix Supra), in the same way that "Hearst Castle" dispenses with the possessive reference. It's your call, Rix. And by the way, enjoy the new car and drive safely.      Are you perplexed by some aspect of grammar or word usage? Don't be shy! 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