3 ms·

just a bit of a nitpick, but your getting started page uses the word "performant" http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/38945/what-is-wrong-with-the-word-p

just a bit of a nitpick, but your getting started page uses the word "performant" http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/38945/what-is-wrong-with-the-word-performant http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/38945/what-is-wro... the debate around the word just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. after reading arguments from both sides I would tend to agree: until the word is a word, it just sounds like marketing buzzword garbage.

lutusp 13y ago
> ... until the word is a word, it just sounds like marketing buzzword garbage. Fair enough, but remember that a word becomes a word simply by usage, not by edict. The old Webster's rule was that, if a word appeared in ten recognized publications with a consistent meaning, it (the word and the definition) would be included in the next edition of the dictionary. I'm sure there's a similar rule in play today. The fluid and pragmatic nature of words and their meanings can be gauged by noting that "literally" and "figuratively" now mean the same thing: Link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally Quote: 1 : in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane> 2 : in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>
nollidge 13y ago
That SE page is 2 years old. Also, "performant" doesn't have any great synonyms, so unless there's a strong risk of being misunderstood (unlikely in this context), there's no reason not to use it.
julie1 13y ago
it is a word in french ;) It would translate to overperforming. Compared to what? No one knows. It is oddly very used as a buzzword in marketing. If so (I could be wrong), maybe it is not marketing but "pardon my french" juste like "idiot savant", "touché" and other french words that appears in the mouth of some that wants to look smart: it make us laugh very hard as a mix of posture and failure.

lutusp 13y ago

> ... until the word is a word, it just sounds like marketing buzzword garbage. Fair enough, but remember that a word becomes a word simply by usage, not by edict. The old Webster's rule was that, if a word appeared in ten recognized publications with a consistent meaning, it (the word and the definition) would be included in the next edition of the dictionary. I'm sure there's a similar rule in play today. The fluid and pragmatic nature of words and their meanings can be gauged by noting that "literally" and "figuratively" now mean the same thing: Link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally Quote: 1 : in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane> 2 : in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>

nollidge 13y ago

That SE page is 2 years old. Also, "performant" doesn't have any great synonyms, so unless there's a strong risk of being misunderstood (unlikely in this context), there's no reason not to use it.

julie1 13y ago

it is a word in french ;) It would translate to overperforming. Compared to what? No one knows. It is oddly very used as a buzzword in marketing. If so (I could be wrong), maybe it is not marketing but "pardon my french" juste like "idiot savant", "touché" and other french words that appears in the mouth of some that wants to look smart: it make us laugh very hard as a mix of posture and failure.