Word Nerd is Back
In case you missed it, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) just published their 2008 List of Banished Words. Included this year are some terms I'm embarrassed to say I've used, like authored and wordsmith (you can read it in my blog about last year's LSSU list!).
Funny how different words can grate on ears and how impassioned people become when they hear a word they believe has been used incorrectly. I just learned from a colleague that my choice of the word reinstall to cover the action of installing a part that was removed for a manufacturing changeover and returned to the same position irritated her "like nails on a blackboard." She believes you can only install something once; after that, you're doing something else. Unfortunately, neither of us could figure out what word would work better. Reassemble and reinsert share the same problem. Install, assemble and insert don't emphasize the fact that you're working with the same piece of machinery or hardware. Reposition or replace can have other meanings, creating confusion for a user instead of clarification. That's why I chose reinstall—succinct and clear . . . until my colleague gave me reason to pause. We still haven't found a good solution. What do you think would be a good way to say reinstall, without actually saying it?
Labels: clarity, plain language
posted by Renee at
11:11 AM
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5 Comments:
You know Renee, a word that makes me laugh more than it does irritate me is the word depress. For example, Step 1: Depress the pedal. I always picture someone, upon reading this instruction, turning to the pedal and saying, "you are worthless, you can't do anything even if I did step on you, you will never amount to anything"......very depressing for a pedal.
If you're still looking for an alternative word, how about this?
"Take the part previously removed in step y, and repeat the installation in step x...."
Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for the feedback!
I like the word "reinstall". It's fine. Just putting my two scents in. Bye.
Thanks, Hallie. We did go with reinstall, and my coworker reluctantly agreed it was the best choice.
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