incent : a big SOTA

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

I will do these things, and more, if I am properly incentivicated.



>
> How many are aware that English contains a verb "to incent,"
> meaning "to provide with and incentive" ?  I sure didn't, at
> least not until Governor George Pataki (R. -N.Y.) promised a
> few minutes ago to "incent consumers" to switch to ethanol.
>
>   Making the situation far more dire is that my OED
> colleagues can prove that "incent" has been in print at least
> since 1977.  After nearly thirty years, we should not be
> surprised to learn that even little children, somewhere, are
> learning to lisp it.  One can only prophesize that these
> little children will soon be incented to grow the economy.
>
>   Won't you join me in taking the Pledge never to use the
> discrete phonemic sequence "incent" in speech or writing as
> long as you live, and beyond if possible ?  And won't you do
> your best to scourge and discomfit the misguided souls who do use it ?
>
>   JL
>
>
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>

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org