Good morning. That's another word I have to look up in the dictionary. What the heck does exponentially mean? I keep seeing it bandied about. I never learnt words like this at school, and I didn't go to college or university, so I supposed I am deemed as thick if I am struggling to understand this new dressed up language that has lately been thrust upon us.
My Collins Pocket English Dictionary, which I do refer to from time to time, tells me it means very rapid. So why can't they use that simplified version in this sentence?
Covid cases rising exponentially in England, study finds. . . . . They could have left it out altogether, or they could have just used the word rapidly, or rising quickly, I think most people would understand that. No, those words would not have the same impact. Exponentially implies a disaster is about to unfold, and we must warn everybody to be on their guard.
I went a walk yesterday in a different area. I will put the photo's up soon. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona
I have noticed this too.Is it to try and make us feel thick?.To knock our confidence down?.Sometimes,forms that you get through the post..after you have read them,you think...what are they on about!!.Doctors are good at this too.Any time my Mam has to speak to a doctor,I always make the call now because she hasnt got a clue what they are on about.Where as I am quite happy to say,can you explain that in simple terms.Im also happy to say..explain it to me in old money.xx
ReplyDeleteI think they do it to make themselves feel important. The clever people think they have the upper hand, but they fail to recognise that there are still a lot of people around who are blessed with common sense and can see right through the blarney.
DeleteBehind the scenes the physicists and mathematicians have been doing what they do and calculating the growth rate, the exponential.
ReplyDeleteThis explains it well.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/life-and-physics/2014/jul/20/the-meaning-of-exponential
I don't read the Guardian. When are they going to calculate the date when we will to be able to ignore lockdowns and get on with our lives. Or is that going to be never.
DeleteThe guardian article predates covid by many years. So it's not a word to scare us. I really was just trying to show you that it's not people making up big words its actually used in a scientific paper in a language that they understand and use.
ReplyDeleteExponentially has a very specific meaning, only part of which is 'rapidly' or 'rising quickly'. You're an excellent and experienced writer who has very little difficulty conveying your own meaning, so I'm very surprised by the use of an unfamiliar word has upset you. We have such a wonderful language it's such a shame when anyone thinks that using it correctly to convey particular meanings invokes such ire.
ReplyDeleteI wrote this post as something to fill a gap. The topic popped into my head in an instant. I quickly got it down. I may appear to be upset but I can assure you I am not. I sometimes write posts to get people going, give them a shake up, make sure they are still awake, and some people fall for it. Others know that I am a little bit tongue in cheek and should not take everything I say as gospel. Thank you for your compliment.
DeleteHow stupid of me to take you seriously. I'll go back to sleep now.
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