Words I Hate, Vol. 2
And now another entry in the annals of writing gone wrong — things we shouldn’t do but somehow manage to do anyway, even those of us who know better. Let me add my usual disclaimer that the words themselves don’t necessarily leave me shaking my head, just the way they’re used (and abused).
Without further ado, here are my latest candidates for the Hall of Shame:
“In order to” — Only two of the letters in this phrase matter. Can you find them?
“You should,” “Be sure to,” “Make sure you,” etc. — The imperative that isn’t. If you want to tell the reader to do something, just tell them to do it.
“Very” — This word is like a volume knob with no indicator markings. How much is “very?” Let’s say you want to communicate that a film conveys a powerful message. Does “very powerful” really make the point any better than “powerful?”
“Great,” “Terrific,” “Fabulous,” etc. — More garbage words (see “Very”). “This movie is great!” What the heck does that mean? How is it great? Is it deeply mournful, crackling with dramatic tension, sweet-natured and amiable, refreshingly silly? “Great” means whatever the reader wants it to mean. State what you mean.
End of harangue. Go back to writing. Have fun. And as they used to say on Hill Street Blues, “Let’s be careful out there.”
