Verbs

“Stakeholder the tool …”

Devolution toward Simpler, Nouns, Verbs

I saw this in an email message yesterday.

Problem:
“Stakeholder” is not a verb.

Explanation:
“Stakeholder the tool within the organization.” was the full sentence in the email message, which was describing a software application and was written to persons who, according to the message’s author, should feel that they had a stake in the software application’s success.

The problem is that the word “stakeholder” is a noun, not a verb.

The word “stakeholder” means a person or group with an interest in something (e.g., the stakes of a wager).

I believe that this (mis)use of the noun “stakeholder” as a verb is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” linguistic hypothesis, just as the misuse of the verb “install” as a noun in place of the longer words “installer” and “installation” is consistent with this hypothesis.

Solution:
“Create stakeholders in the tool …”

“Mingaling”

Verbs

My wife saw this on a sign in a high-school attendance office.

Problem:
The verb is a horrible corruption of a good one.

Explanation:
The sign directed visitors in the office to not congregate there.

You might have to say this aloud a few times to get it.

The sign writer meant “mingling” when she wrote “mingaling” instead.

I believe that the writer hears three syllables when she or others (mis)pronounce the correct verb.

So she spelled it phonetically and got “mingaling” — hilarious, if it weren’t so sad!

Solution:
“Mingling”

“Determinate” vs. “Determinant”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders, Mispronunciations, Nouns, Verbs, Versus

I sometimes hear these two words used interchangeably.

Problem:
These two words are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The primary definition of the word “determinate” as a verb is to make certain of. The primary definition of the word “determinate” as an adjective is having defined limits.

The primary definition of the word “determinant” as a noun is a determining agent. The primary definition of the word “determinant” as an adjective is having the power of deciding.

I believe that these words most often are used interchangeably because of sloppy pronunciation.

Solution:
When using each of these words as an adjective, think having defined limits for “determinate” and having the power of deciding for ” determinant”.