Taking issue with
patterns of speechThe English language is being manipulated for various reasons. Sometimes the reason is commercial. Sometimes it's political. Sometimes it's ideological. Whatever the reason, I don't like it.
It's been going on for some time. Take the word "issue," for instance. A few years ago, a colleague's computer hard drive died and he called the manufacturer's help line. After a few questions and tests, the factory rep said, "We appear to have a hard-drive issue."
Not true. An issue arises when two or more people disagree on something. If one person said the hard drive was working, and another said it wasn't, then we'd have a hard-drive issue. If the hard drive simply isn't working, it's not an issue. It's a problem.
Another example, and the one that touched off this rant, happened recently when I pulled into a drive-through and ordered a small fruit punch. "I'm sorry, sir," said the voice on the intercom, "We don't have a small size." Again, not true. Even if the drink sizes were 1,000 ounces, 2,000 ounces and 3,000 ounces, then 1,000 ounces would be the small size.
And if you don't agree, we appear to have a language issue.
--George Steele