Banish wind-baggage from the language Final Edition
We need to get rid of this phrase. Retire it. Shun it. Banish it. If not, "at the end of the day," we may very well have another "at this point in time" to deal with. That's not "incredible." "Hopefully," it's not even "very unique." The pr...
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| Published in | Standard (St. Catherines) |
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| Main Author | |
| Format | Newspaper Article |
| Language | English |
| Published |
St. Catharines, Ont
Torstar Syndication Services, a Division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited
13.12.2002
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| Online Access | Get full text |
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| Summary: | We need to get rid of this phrase. Retire it. Shun it. Banish it. If not, "at the end of the day," we may very well have another "at this point in time" to deal with. That's not "incredible." "Hopefully," it's not even "very unique." The problems with wind-baggage of the language -- such inflated, swollen-tongued speaking as cited above -- are several; they include redundancy, mendacity and absurdity. As a persistent example, the odious phrase "at this point in time" embodies all these linguistic evils. Wasteful, it takes five sounds to say "now." Traceable back to then-U.S. President Nixon's press secretary during the Watergate investigations, it reeks of high crimes and misdemeanours against truth; it is the ultimate in weasel-wording. Its innate nonsense shows up by considering the complement of "at this point in space" for "here." |
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| ISSN: | 0837-3434 |