My writer friends and I are always joking about big-headed, small-minded folks who say they’re “impacted” when they’re not constipated at all, just affected by something or other.
I think you’ll agree that when you’re listening to a speech about how we are all impacted and have been sitting around thinking about where to pinch, it’s pretty disappointing to discover that the speech is about the economy, not about the need to get more fibre in our diets.
So I’ve been wondering what would come next. Thanks to a reader, I now know.
“Unpassable” ice roads? Really, CBC?
Language is a funny thing. But according to my dictionary it doesn’t appear as though they are wrong…
impacted |imˈpaktid|
adjective
1 chiefly Medicine pressed firmly together, in particular
• (of a tooth) wedged between another tooth and the jaw.
• (of a fractured bone) having the parts crushed together.
• (of feces) lodged in the intestine.
2 strongly affected by something : grandiose planning projects have had deleterious effects on impacted social groups.
Your dictionary has been corrupted by the federal government. Throw it into the fireplace NOW.
I agree with Megan. Clare – burn it.
Some dictionaries also include “ain’t” as a word. That doesn’t make it an acceptable and legitimate part of the language. Most of the time, what people really mean when they say “impacted” is “affected” – people are affected by grandiose plans, or those plans have an impact upon them.
I have also recently noticed an inclination to drop tiny connector words in articles – instead of, for example, “a couple of things”, I keep seeing “a couple things” – I blame texting.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
IT CAN’T BE SO!
I have spent way too much time scouring online dictonaries to ENSURE “impacted” is not a word.
Clare you must have the only copy. I’m with Megan. Burn it immediately. Consider it your Christmas present to me.
Its the Oxford American Dictionary. I refuse to burn books, as that has a long infamous history. I don’t even think “Going Rogue” should be burned, just not read, or you might be impacted by it.
and my dictionary does include “ain’t” but has this note on usage…
“USAGE The use of ain’t was widespread in the 18th century and is still perfectly normal in many dialects and informal contexts in both North America and Britain. Today, however, it does not form part of standard English and should not be used in formal contexts.”
Good thing they didn’t say Icy Roads hamper Gifting Season. Remember when gift was just a noun? Those were the days…