Should You Ditch These “A” Words?

Amazing? In What Sense?

Email #1: “Several of our key competitors had a tradeshow booth at the conference this year.”

Email Response: “Amazing! I noticed that in the pre-conference announcements.”

Really? Amazing? My dictionary defines the word this way: “causing great surprise or wonder, astonishing.” But since so many have “downsized” the meaning during the last decade, the Oxford dictionary now adds this “informal” usage as an entry: “Startingly impressive.”

Even with the informal downgrading, have you noticed how “amazed” people are at the most common occurrences?

 

Awesome? In What Way?

Email #1: “I should have my quarterly report finished by Friday. I’ll copy you when I submit it.”

Email Response: “Awesome!”

Is the responder inspired with great admiration? Fearful? Extremely impressed?

Again, the dictionary definition here: “extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear. The example given: “The awesome power of the atomic bomb.”

Whatever happened to a simple “good,” “well done,” or “thank you”?

 

Absolutely? In What World?

Email #1:  “With two of our team on vacation, are we still having a staff meeting on Monday?”

Email Response: “Absolutely.”

Once again, I defer to the dictionary definition: “With no qualification, or limitation; totally.” The dictionary example provided: “She trusted him absolutely.”

The response above seems like an extreme reaction. Does the responder really mean, “Without qualification, we are meeting! Why on earth would you think we are NOT meeting? Have you lost your mind in even asking the question?”

More likely, the responder meant simply, “Yes.”

 

If you’re tired of these cliched reactions, I’m with you. Words matter for accuracy and attitude. And when words no longer matter, maybe we should just shift to drawing pictures like the cavemen or just adopt an alphabet of icons.

I don’t know about you, but I’m giving these three “A” words a big fat “F.”