djpsyche: (Default)
Psyche ([personal profile] djpsyche) wrote2005-04-06 05:33 pm

Argh!

OK, I think the use of the word "action" as a verb has replaced "we were sat down" as my number one grammatical bugbear. Expecially when bloody suffixes are added, as in "actioned".

ACTION IS A NOUN!! ACT IS THE VERB!

Whatever happened to "has this been done?"

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/ 2005-04-06 11:15 am (UTC)(link)
[pedant]The OED has action in use as a verb as early as 1733, in the sense of "to institute a legal action against".[/pedant]

[identity profile] djpsyche.livejournal.com 2005-04-07 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
Ok, so when they mean "have you filed this lawsuit yet", then they are allowed to say it. But not when they mean "have you filed this letter"!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/ 2005-04-07 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
The OED also has "2. To take action on (a request, etc.), to process; to put into effect. Used esp. in business jargon." in use from 1962, which is relatively recent, but old enough that we're probably stuck with it.