Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Home » Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

Discussion Forum (Archived)

Please consider registering
Guest
Search
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
Search
The forums are currently locked and only available for read only access
sp_TopicIcon
A new word? "incented"
torpeau
Left coast of FL
97 Posts
(Offline)
1
2010/06/13 - 6:22am
Print

Just heard Bill Gates use "incented" on TV. Not in the dictionary on my Mac. Maybe he invented it this morning. Most people would have said "incentivized."

Guest
2
2010/06/13 - 11:36pm
Print

torpeau said:

Just heard Bill Gates use "incented" on TV. Not in the dictionary on my Mac. Maybe he invented it this morning. Most people would have said "incentivized."

I love that your question is inherently contradictory -- Bill Gates's words were not on your MAC. That said, I think he meant "incentivized", which is itself some bastard form of the idea of "made incentive of", right?

torpeau
Left coast of FL
97 Posts
(Offline)
3
2010/06/14 - 7:12am
Print

tunawrites said: which is itself some bastard form of the idea of "made incentive of", right?

The dictionary on my Mac includes "incentivize." I think it has become common usage.

Guest
4
2010/06/14 - 9:24am
Print

Gates is not the first to use a variation on "incent." For earlier peeves, see here: https://waywordradio.org/discussion/topics/bite-the-wax-tadpole-1/

The OED has an example of "incent" from 1977.

Guest
5
2010/06/22 - 9:20pm
Print

I am incensed by this thread! Jk, I'm not upset by the thread but that the word 'incentive' has been warped and wrangled and twisted like a pretzel into a really wanky use. What's so hard about saying 'the program provides incentive to... blah, blah blah?'

Forum Timezone: UTC -7
Show Stats
Administrators:
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Moderators:
Grant Barrett
Top Posters:
Newest Members:
A Conversation with Dr Astein Osei
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 1
Topics: 3647
Posts: 18912

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 618
Members: 1268
Moderators: 1
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 1147
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 78
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Menu

Recent posts