A Living Text

impactful is not a word #2

Posted in tech writing by joelmartin on July 31st, 2007

Long ago, I blogged about how ‘impactful’ is not a word. And yet it spreads through our language like a cancer. Now Bill Gates is using it! Also, check out the caption to the picture in this story. “Discerningly” where it should read “disconcertingly.” Language idiocy is spreading fast.

4 Responses to 'impactful is not a word #2'

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  1. wessexcathedral said, on July 31st, 2007 at 6:51 am

    And that is why I am trepidatious about using English. Maybe once I am fluent in Latin (which will be never) I can just say a bunch of stuff no one understands and then I will look smart.

  2. joelmartin said, on August 1st, 2007 at 5:50 am

    You don’t need to look smart, you are smart.

  3. MuR said, on July 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    With the research I’ve done so far, I’ve yet to find a response as to why “impactful” should not be a word. Grammatically it follows all of the rules of the use of “ful”, and it seems to be reasonable. Other than pure grammatical snobbery, I’d love to hear a rational argument.

  4. joelmartin said, on July 23rd, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Just snobbery, that’s all.

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