Devolution toward Simpler

“150,000 net video adds in first quarter”

Common English Blunders, Devolution toward Simpler, Nouns, Verbs

I saw this in a corporate announcement yesterday.

Problem:
The word “adds” is not a noun.

Explanation:
This phrase appeared in a sentence talking about how a company’s net increase in video customers was expected to be 150,000 in the first quarter of 2008.

Unfortunately, one could misread this as “150,000 net video ads in first quarter” — as in “150,000 net [Internet?] video advertisements in first quarter”.

In other words, one could misread “adds” as “ads” and believe that the writer was referring to advertisements.

More important than this possible misreading is the fact that “adds” is a verb, not a noun.

I believe that this growing tendency to use “adds” where “additions” is what is meant is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” hypothesis.

It’s simpler to say or write the one-syllable “adds” than the three-syllable “additions”.

One could say the same thing about “installs” versus “installations”, about which I wrote last December.

Solution:
“150,000 net video [customer] additions in first quarter”

“Provides Dentist Recommended Benefits”

Devolution toward Simpler, Hyphens

I saw this on a Crest Pro-Health toothpaste tube.

Problem:
A hyphen is missing.

Explanation:
Surely the designer of the toothpaste-tube label meant to put a hyphen between “Dentist” and “Recommended” — so that the label reader learns that the toothpaste provides benefits that are recommended by dentists.

Otherwise, this phrase means that the toothpast provides recommended (by whom, we’re uncertain) benefits to dentists (who, by implication, would be the readers of the label).

I believe that the label writer fell prey to the avoid-hyphens-at-all-costs style that is prevalent today in advertising copywriting.

I believe that this style is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” hypothesis. It’s simpler to leave out the hyphen than to include it.

Solution:
“Provides Dentist-Recommended Benefits”

“Jealous” vs. “Envious”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders, Devolution toward Simpler, Versus

I often hear one adjective used when the other adjective is the appropriate one.

Problem:
The adjectives “jealous” and “envious” are not exactly synonyms.

Explanation:
The adjective “jealous” means feeling uneasiness toward another person because of resentment of that person’s success or from suspicion or fear of rivalry.

The adjective “envious” means feeling covetous toward another person’s possessions.

I often hear American English speakers use “jealous” when they mean “envious” instead.

I believe that the use of “jealous” when “envious” is the right adjective is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” hypothesis. It’s simpler to say the two-syllable “jealous” than to say the three-syllable “envious”.

Solution:
Use “jealous” when talking about one person’s attitude toward another person. Use “envious” when talking about one person’s attitude toward another person’s possessions.