! DECIMATE

[mik3cap]

Okay people. Please help me with this one. Even PBS's NOVA is wrong on it, and it's worrying me.

Decimate == REDUCE by ONE TENTH. To decimate something is to destroy ten percent of it.

People CONSTANTLY misuse this word. They should be using the word "devastate" instead.

DEVASTATE, not decimate.

You may now return to your previously scheduled program.

Comments

[rovanda.livejournal.com]

Very interesting essay! His criticism of the way language is twisted to obscure meaning rather than communicate meaning reminds me of one of George Carlin's shows - where he talks about how a phrase with a very clear meaning, like "shell shock" gets twisted around into something dry and meaningless, like "post traumatic stress disorder."

[mikecap.livejournal.com]

I know if he were around today, he'd rip the shit out of FOX news...