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Subject:Re: "See" and "Utilize" From:"Bachison, Cliff W. @ SLG" <CBACHISO -at- SLC -dot- UNISYSGSG -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 21 Feb 1996 09:55:00 MST
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>I also wish the word "utilize" would be permanently banned and replaced
with
>"use." The trend in technical writing is less is better. Why use
"Utilize" is one of my pet peeves. "Utilize" in reference to people
really annoys me. One of these days, I'm actually going to return the
comment as "Manipulate the ---- operators to transfer X to Y"
Nancy Lynn Hayes (nancyh -at- pmafire -dot- inel -dot- gov) Carpe Diem
Seize the Day!
_____________________________________________________________
In the mid 70's, when I started in this business, utilize meant using a
tool for a purpose
for which it was not originally intended. For example, "He utilized his hoe
to kill his wife."
If you have an old dictionary, you can check this definition for yourself.
I have noticed that
in newer dictionaries utilize and use are defined identically. I still use
the old definitions
when writing procedures. I like to think that I am helping to maintain the
flexibility of the language.
