Verbing a noun?

[Bartholomew]

What is the general consensus of using a noun like a verb, as in the title of this thread?

[Pagey's_Girl]

Verbing is one of those "don't try this at home - we're what you call experts!" things. However, in that hands of an expert, it's brilliant. One of my favorite examples is from a director who was quoted as saying, "I want this one big. I want it bold. I want it - Cecil B. DeMilled!"

So yeah, I think as long as you Cecil B. DeMille it, it'll work just fine. :)

[Jamesaritchie]

It usually bites.

[Rolling Thunder]

Keep on trucking.

[blacbird]

It usually bites.

JAR is right. In fact, it usually pitbulls.

caw

[MelodyO]

All I know is my novel has the line "Why did they kidnap him? Was it because he'd Enronned the hell out of his taxes?"

Heh.

[Bartholomew]

The word google comes immediately to mind, as an example of a verbified noun.

[benbradley]

The word google comes immediately to mind, as an example of a verbified noun.
So does Xerox, but the Xerox company doesn't want people doing that (using their name as a verb).

Actually, Google has the same sentiment about its name, as these links show (I'm a little surprised I haven't heard of this without having had to look for it first):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_(verb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_%28verb))
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060706-7198.html
http://news.com.com/Google+wants+people+to+stop+googling/2100-1030_3-6106479.html
Is this the quickest that a name brand has become concerned about its name becoming verbalized/genericized (speaking of verbing)? I recall it happened pretty fast with Rollerblade too.

Verbing a brand name is usually a bad idea, though Enron might be dead enough (or at least deserving enough!) that it might be okay. IANAL, thisisnotlegaladvice, consult your attorney, bla bla bla.

[benbradley]

But in general, "verbing" ordinary words is often frowned on because it's been done so much in business language of recent decades, resulting in overused buzzwords that everyone hates, and that get parodied in Dilbert comic strips. Of course, if you're writing Dilbert comic strips you want to utilize, luxurize and upsize use as many of these as you can find.

[Bartholomew]

So does Xerox, but the Xerox company doesn't want people doing that (using their name as a verb).

Actually, Google has the same sentiment about its name, as these links show (I'm a little surprised I haven't heard of this without having had to look for it first):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_(verb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_%28verb))
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060706-7198.html
http://news.com.com/Google+wants+people+to+stop+googling/2100-1030_3-6106479.html
Is this the quickest that a name brand has become concerned about its name becoming verbalized/genericized (speaking of verbing)? I recall it happened pretty fast with Rollerblade too.

Verbing a brand name is usually a bad idea, though Enron might be dead enough (or at least deserving enough!) that it might be okay. IANAL, thisisnotlegaladvice, consult your attorney, bla bla bla.

But in general, "verbing" ordinary words is often frowned on because it's been done so much in business language of recent decades, resulting in overused buzzwords that everyone hates, and that get parodied in Dilbert comic strips. Of course, if you're writing Dilbert comic strips you want to utilize, luxurize and upsize use as many of these as you can find.

Why on earth would someone say "Utilize" instead of "Use?"

#

I ask the original question because I have, in a story, a character speaking, and describing something he sees as "accordioning." It fits his lingo, but I'm wondering if an editor would see it, wince, and move to the next document.

[seppuku05]

Why on earth would someone say "Utilize" instead of "Use?"

To make themselves sound smart. ;) Why else do people use 'fancy' words where simple words work better? :P

Also, love the sutra in your sig, I'm so bookmarking that site. ;)

[C.bronco]

I am staunchly opposed to making nouns into verbs, except when my son does it because it's very cute from a 4 year old. He makes new verbs for verbs that already exist, e.g. "primering" for priming, and "rollering" for rolling. (We've been painting.)
Business-speak is a treasure trove of verbal abomination.

[Meerkat]

I think it is actually the Pentagon's fault, where the trend seems to have started in the 70's or 80's, as they struggled to balance their need to express complicated notions with lack of eloqu...need to convey things expeditiou....needed to knowledge others fast.

[Prawn]

Why on earth would someone say "Utilize" instead of "Use?"
.


I thought that utilize had the connotation of using something up, for example, you don't utilize a computer, but you utilize wood to build a building. Does anyone else get this reading?

[dobiwon]

As several people's examples have already shown but not explicitly stated, verbing a noun is wrong unless you attach the suffix "-ize" to the noun or to some derivative of it. ;)

[blacbird]

Why on earth would someone say "Utilize" instead of "Use?"

"Utilize" is my all-time favorite jargon word. It is the classic example of the need people feel to inflate the number of syllables in order to sound smart and important.

I've never seen Prawn's distinction in the use or utilization of "use" and "utilize", and as far as I can tell the two are absolutely synonymous.

And I'm wary of any verbation of a noun using the suffix "-ize". Many many verbal sins have been committed in its name.

caw

[CaoPaux]

"Utilize" means something used for a different function than intended.

e.g. "Not having a shovel to dig the grave, I utilized a piece of wreckage."

While one can certainly use "use" in the above, using "utilize" in the following:

"I utilized a shovel to dig the grave."

...will earn said shovel utilized as a cluebat upside the head.

[ModoReese]

When I started in IT I made it through "tasking" and "actioning" without too much pain but "solutioning" set me off.

Michelle