In Martin Snapp's January 20 column, he speaks of his vocabulary misuse pet peeves, which I share with him, although my list is much longer. As a former language teacher and grammar cop, I feel his pain. Many of my views changed, however, after I read You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity by Robert Lane Greene. I still prefer and appreciate correct diction, punctuation, and vocabulary use, but I now choose my battles more carefully. I never correct anyone in public (I actually never did) and do not correct my family and friends at all unless they ask me.
As far as the word "issue" is concerned, it came into wider use to avoid the negativity of "problem," but then created "issues" of its own. In my doctoral class many years back, we used the acronym SITNA to refer to a "Situation That Needed Attention." It was neither a problem nor an issue, but something else entirely. If we could find a word to serve this purpose today, I would be happy. And my current hot misuse pet peeve? Using "less," when it should be "fewer," as in "Less women buy these shoes." I just shudder and bite my tongue, especially when I hear news anchors on TV abusing this word.
Evie Groch
El Cerrito
(from The Montclarion 2/10/2012: El Cerrito Journal Letters to the Editor)

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