Monthly information digest for EditPros clients and friends

CONTENTS FEATURE: Worn out phrases won't get you where you want to go GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn up to $500 FEATURE: Worn out phrases won't get you where you want to go      In the 1966 Mamas and Papas song "Words of Love," Mama Cass decried "worn-out phrases," warning that they "won't get you where you want to go." It seems that few people are heeding that advice these days, because plenty of stale phrases continue to pockmark people's conversations.      Speakers and writers persist in repeating the same overused expressions, believing that they're witty and brighten their conversation. Are you tired of people who claim to be cautiously optimistic, or think outside the box, or want to take it to the next level, or move the goal posts, or push the envelope? Do you know anyone who finds the phrase "value-added" persuasive? If value is an additive ingredient, does that mean the underlying product or service is valueless?      We have compiled a list of some mindless phrases that irritate us and some clients and friends whom we polled. Cringe along with us. BUSINESS BLATHER boots on the ground. This expression is fine when used in reference to combat troops; it's absurd — and trivializes military personnel — when it's applied to corporate sales or marketing. core competency. The meaning of this blowfish phrase is widely misunderstood. Competence (and its variant form competency) refer to possession of requisite or adequate abilities or qualities. Competency — mere sufficiency — is not the equivalent of excellence or expertise, and thus is not a basis for bragging. corporate DNA. "Corporate culture" has morphed into "corporate DNA." A corporation is an entity, not a living organism. Those two terms bear no relationship to one another. data-driven. This is a code-phrase for information based on actual evidence — and what a revelation that is. Analytical decisions are, and always were, inherently "data-driven"; we know a term for a decision made in the absence of data: guesswork. disruptive innovation. This phrase was powerfully descriptive when Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen coined it in 1997. It applies well to technological innovations the caliber of the steam engine, the light bulb, the electronic microprocessor and e-mail. A new piece of accounting software or a new way to grill a hamburger does not constitute disruptive innovation, however. Through overuse, this term has lost its punch and its integrity. due diligence. This term has valid, specific legal meanings in connection with financial transactions and litigation. The term is often hijacked and inappropriately used, however, in reference to taking precautions or doing a thorough job. Such casual use diminishes the proper meaning of the term. end user. Whatever happened to customers and clients? foreseeable future. Business people and bureaucrats alike toss this wormy word into their conversation in an effort to sound visionary and reassuring, even though they have no idea what's going to happen after tomorrow. game changer. This is a displaced sports utterance used in reference to a substantial change in a product, service or market. It's silly when it's used in a business context. going forward, we will work closely with .... With respect to time, in what other direction can we go? "Will" is a future-tense verb. The vacuous expression "going forward" should be left behind. mission-critical. Good grief, stop trying to sound like NASA Mission Control; whatever happened to essential and important? paradigm shift. This pretentious phrase should be incinerated. "Paradigm" is another word for a model or pattern. take a meeting. You can confer, ask advice or discuss. You can schedule a meeting, hold a meeting, conduct a meeting, or participate in a meeting. Choose any one of those phrases; we don't need another one, particularly one that makes no sense. take it to the next level. And what would that be? This phrase is a smokescreen for people who want to sound sagacious without clearly defining what they mean. transformational leadership. Transformation is inherent in leadership; recognizing opportunities and envisioning and orchestrating ways to take advantage of them are fundamental to the job of a leader. The word "leadership" alone conveys the concept; the adjective "transformational" is superfluous — and pretentious. viral marketing. Do you really think your customers would like knowing they're on the receiving end of a viral marketing campaign? MASS MEDIA MALARKEY balanced on the backs of .... At one time an illustrative metaphor, this overworked phrase lingers on as a TV news staple for reports about budget reductions. cautiously optimistic. This phrase doesn't make people sound cerebral; it makes them sound hesitant, uncertain and noncommittal. Try "I'm hopeful" instead. driving under the influence. Under what influence? The phrase presumably refers to driving while intoxicated by alcoholic beverages or drugs. You could just as well be driving under the influence — let's see — of your boss, who asked you to pick him up and take him to the conference. Why not just say "inebriated driver"? fashion-forward. In response to an online article about the Project Runway television show, a reader commented, "I have a game guaranteed to get you plastered before the first TresemmÈ commercial: [Drink] one shot every time you hear the phrase fashion forward." give it up for .... Since when does applause connote surrender? TV emcees should reject this phrase, which is just as irritating as "put your hands together" (see below). in the line of duty. For goodness' sake, just say "while on duty." in the wake of. Do you mean "as a result of" or merely "after"? placed on administrative leave. This euphemistic phrase means "suspended from duty" (and thus not administering anything now). put your hands together. OK, they're touching; now what? Please don't introduce a speaker or performer with this silly clichÈd phrase. People in the audience understand the word "welcome"; they'll respond with applause. EXHAUSTED EXCLAMATIONS as we speak. If you want to sound pretentious, or portentous, or both, this is the expression for you. The rest of us are perfectly content with the adverb "now." at the end of the day. Which day? This is a recycled version of another clichÈ, "when all is said and done." If you don't come to a conclusion until the end of the day, people may wonder if you were goofing off until then. Try "ultimately" instead. let's do lunch. DO lunch? DON'T say this, please. my bad. Understand this: the word "bad" is an adjective. You can't possess an adjective. Something can't be "my large" or "my fast" or "my loud," nor can something be "my bad." Say "that was my mistake" instead. I'm good. Wonderful; if you're virtuous, then Santa may visit you. Don't use this phrase if you mean to say you're uninjured or not ill. good to go. You can replace this three-word colloquial expression with one perfectly good adjective: ready. Or prepared. OTHER DREARY DRIVEL carbon footprint. The first time this phrase was used, it was imaginative and illustrative of energy consumption and "greenhouse gas" emissions. Its appeal dims with every tiresome repetition. This phrase needs to be crushed, along with carbon offsetting and carbon-neutral. in no uncertain terms. Replace these four words with one: "clearly." Or "definitely." Or "specifically." Or "unmistakably." that being said. Try "however" or "but." that remains to be seen. People trying to appear profound often pull this tired aphorism out of their quiver. People who instead prefer honesty will say, "I don't know yet." think outside the box. Right. And color outside the lines. Repetition of this overused phrase puts you in the same box as everyone else who utters it. win-win situation. If you mean everyone benefits, say so. you know the drill. You know what? Don't use this rude phrase unless you want to sound like a smart-aleck.      Most people don't want to wear the same shirt, shoes, perfume or cologne as everyone else in their office. Why, then, would anyone want to cling to these and other worn-out platitudes that everyone else in their office is saying? Distinguish yourself by discarding these and other worn-out phrases. GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions 1. Ramona wrote:      "I am writing a non-fiction book. Which is correct: 'Thomas (Wells' or Wells's) best hockey season was in 1958'?"      And which of these is correct: In what year did Wells win a gold medal? Or What year did Wells win a gold medal?" The grammar coach replies:      The decision about which way to express a plural possessive form (Wells' or Wells's) depends upon the style guide you are following. We answered a question similar to yours in the April 2005 edition of EditPros News. Most book publishers favor The Chicago Manual of Style, which says that the possessive case for singular names ending in 's' is formed by the addition of an apostrophe and an "s" — thus, Wells's best hockey season.      For your second question, we recommend retention of the preposition "in." To see why, change the question into a statement that identifies when Wells won a gold medal; let's use 1959 as a "placeholder." You would say, "Wells won a gold medal IN 1959" (not "Wells won a gold medal 1959"). The preposition "in" is required to define the relationship between "gold medal" and "1959." You wouldn't say "Which house do you live?" Rather, you'd ask, "IN which house do you live?"      Likewise, the proper syntax for your example question is: "In what year did Wells win a gold medal?" or "In which year did Wells win a gold medal?" 2. Heather W. wrote:      "What is the plural of a computer mouse? Is it still mice, or is it mouses?" The grammar coach replies:      The answer varies among dictionaries. According to Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition, the only acceptable plural form for the word "mouse" in reference to either rodents or the computer input device is "mice." The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and the Compact Oxford Dictionary disagree, however. They both say that when the term is used in reference to the computer input device, it can take either of two plural forms: "mice" or "mouses." Because of the lack of unanimity, we'd regard the "mouses" form as a bit squirrelly, and would advise the plural form "mice" in all references.      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. 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? If you do, EditPros may reward you with a "finder's fee" of up to $500.      EditPros LLC, established in 1993, performs writing, editing, proofreading and publication management services for newsletters, brochures, Web sites, annual reports, research studies, business proposals, and other informational and marketing materials. Our office is in Davis, Calif., between Sacramento and San Francisco; however, our clients include educational institutions, private corporations, health-care organizations, trade associations, scientific research institutions, Web site developers and government agencies from throughout the United States. We have worked with some of them for more than 10 years.      If you recommend our services to a friend or business colleague, and that introduction leads to an assignment for EditPros, we will award you a "finder's fee" equaling 10 percent of the amount we earn on the first assignment for the new client, up to a maximum finder's fee of $500. Naturally, the finder's fee is applicable only to client organizations for which we have not worked previously.      This offer will remain in effect until further notice. YOUR TURN: Ask the "grammar coach" or subscribe      We invite you to submit your questions to the "grammar coach," and we welcome you to subscribe to this monthly newsletter—which we'll send to your e-mail address at no charge. We respond to all "grammar coach" questions personally, but delays may occur because we must place top priority on assignments from our clients. We appreciate your patience and your interest.      You also can change your e-mail subscription address. For an address change, please indicate your existing AND your new e-mail address. Thank you. OUR PRIVACY POLICY for e-mail newsletter subscribers:      We do not use any commercial e-mail lists or automated mass-mailing programs, and we do not allow access to the list by anyone else for any reason. Our subscriber list is maintained by hand, and it is not for sale. We are protective of confidentiality because many of our readers are also clients of ours. Any accompanying advertising is placed by Yahoo.com in exchange for our use of the e-mail server to distribute this newsletter.