The zombie is a noun that's devoured a verb: implementation, assessment, authorization, documentation, participation, transmittal, realization… all zombies#2492•
The proliferation of nominalizations in a discursive formation may be an indication of a tendency toward pomposity and abstraction.
Seven zombies inhabit that sentence, the offspring of five verbs and two adjectives. Ms. Sword eliminates or reanimates most of the zombie nouns, adds a human subject, and the sentence springs to life:
Writers who overload their sentences with nominalizations tend to sound pompous and abstract#2494•
When he wrote that essay, container shipping, leading to containerize and the zombie containerization, had not arrived, but Ms. Sword brings us grimly up to date with what happens when zombies "gather in jargon-generating packs and infect every noun, verb and adjective in sight." We began with globe (1551) which became global (1676), then globalize (1953), and since 1961 we've enjoyed globalization.
The most scary combination is a sentence in the passive voice infiltrated by a zombie; the sentence can become two or three times as long.#2497•
Flesh-Eater: A man/woman by the name of
Preferred: Named
Flesh-Eater: At the present time
Preferred: When
Flesh-Eater: At this point in time
Preferred: Now
Flesh-Eater: At an early date
Preferred: Soon
Flesh-Eater: A number of
Preferred: Several, many
Flesh-Eater: An adequate number of
Preferred: Enough
Flesh-Eater: A sufficient number of
Preferred: Enough
Flesh-Eater: Absence of
Preferred: No
Flesh-Eater: Along the lines of
Preferred: Like
Flesh-Eater: Accede to
Preferred: Grant/allow
Flesh-Eater: Accordingly
Preferred: So
Flesh-Eater: Acquaint
Preferred: Tell
Flesh-Eater: Adjacent to
Preferred: Near
Flesh-Eater: Ahead of schedule
Preferred: Early
Flesh-Eater: Arrangements are in the hands of
Preferred: Arranged by
Flesh-Eater: As far as… is concerned
Preferred: As for
Flesh-Eater: A percentage of
Preferred: Some
Flesh-Eater: Ascertain
Preferred: Learn
Flesh-Eater: Attired in
Preferred: Wore
Flesh-Eater: By means of
Preferred: With/by
Flesh-Eater: Best of health
Preferred: Well/healthy
Flesh-Eater: Called a halt
Preferred: Stopped
Flesh-Eater: Carry out the work
Preferred: Do the work
Flesh-Eater: Caused injuries to
Preferred: Injured
Flesh-Eater: Concerning the matter of
Preferred: About
Flesh-Eater: Continue to remain
Preferred: Stay
Flesh-Eater: Currently
Preferred: Now
Flesh-Eater: Customary
Preferred: Usual
Flesh-Eater: Despite the fact that
Preferred: Although
Flesh-Eater: Due to the fact that
Preferred: Because
Flesh-Eater: Draw the attention of
Preferred: Show/remind/point out
Flesh-Eater: Described as
Preferred: Called
Flesh-Eater: During the time that
Preferred: During
Flesh-Eater: Exceeding the speed limit
Preferred: Speeding
Flesh-Eater: Enclosed herewith
Preferred: Enclosed
Flesh-Eater: Equivalent
Preferred: Equal
Flesh-Eater: From the point of view of
Preferred: For
Flesh-Eater: For the purpose of
Preferred: To, for
Flesh-Eater: For the reason of
Preferred: Because
Flesh-Eater: Facilitate the effort
Preferred: Ease/help
Flesh-Eater: From out of the
Preferred: Out of/from
Flesh-Eater: Filled to capacity
Preferred: Full
Flesh-Eater: Fundamental
Preferred: Basic
Flesh-Eater: Gained entrance to
Preferred: Got in
Flesh-Eater: Gathered together
Preferred: Met
Flesh-Eater: Give consideration to
Preferred: Consider
Flesh-Eater: Goes under the name of
Preferred: Is called/known as
Flesh-Eater: Give rise to
Preferred: Cause
Flesh-Eater: Hence why
Preferred: Why
Flesh-Eater: Implement
Preferred: Carry out/fulfill/do
Flesh-Eater: I am hopeful that
Preferred: I hope
Flesh-Eater: Impossible to discover
Preferred: Cannot be found
Flesh-Eater: In addition
Preferred: Also
Flesh-Eater: In the possession of
Preferred: Has/have
Flesh-Eater: In advance of our meeting
Preferred: Before we meet
Flesh-Eater: Inasmuch as
Preferred: Given
Flesh-Eater: In a satisfactory manner
Preferred: Satisfactorily
Flesh-Eater: In attendance
Preferred: Present/there
Flesh-Eater: In conjunction with
Preferred: Together with
Flesh-Eater: In accordance with
Preferred: By/under
Flesh-Eater: In consequence of
Preferred: Because of
Flesh-Eater: In isolation
Preferred: By itself/alone
Flesh-Eater: Initiate, institute
Preferred: Start
Flesh-Eater: In large measure
Preferred: Largely
Flesh-Eater: In the case of/ in terms of
Preferred: Of
Flesh-Eater: In many cases
Preferred: Often
Flesh-Eater: In order to
Preferred: To
Flesh-Eater: In recognition of the fact that
Preferred: Recognizing that
Flesh-Eater: In spite of the fact that
Preferred: Despite/although
Flesh-Eater: In succession
Preferred: Running
Flesh-Eater: In the course of
Preferred: During/while
Flesh-Eater: In the direction of
Preferred: Toward
Flesh-Eater: In the event of
Preferred: In/if
Flesh-Eater: In the field of
Preferred: In/with
Flesh-Eater: In the majority of instances
Preferred: Mostly
Flesh-Eater: In the vicinity/region/neighborhood of
Preferred: About/near/around
Flesh-Eater: In view of the fact that
Preferred: Since/because
Flesh-Eater: Is of the opinion
Preferred: Believes
Flesh-Eater: It cannot be denied that
Preferred: Undeniably
Flesh-Eater: It is often the case that
Preferred: Often
Flesh-Eater: Large volume of
Preferred: Many
Flesh-Eater: Leaving much to be desired
Preferred: Unsatisfactory/bad
Flesh-Eater: Less expensive
Preferred: Cheaper
Flesh-Eater: Low degree of interest
Preferred: Little interest
Flesh-Eater: Made an approach to
Preferred: Approached
Flesh-Eater: Made good their escape
Preferred: Escaped
Flesh-Eater: Measure up to
Preferred: Fit/reach/match
Flesh-Eater: Meet up with
Preferred: Meet
Flesh-Eater: Notwithstanding the fact that
Preferred: Although
Flesh-Eater: Occasioned by
Preferred: Caused by
Flesh-Eater: Of the order of
Preferred: About
Flesh-Eater: Off of
Preferred: Off
Flesh-Eater: One of the purposes
Preferred: One purpose
Flesh-Eater: One of the reasons
Preferred: One reason
Flesh-Eater: On account of the fact that
Preferred: Because
Flesh-Eater: On the grounds that
Preferred: Since/because
Flesh-Eater: Owing to the fact that
Preferred: Because
Flesh-Eater: On the part of
Preferred: By
Flesh-Eater: On a regular basis
Preferred: Regularly
Flesh-Eater: On a daily basis
Preferred: Daily
Flesh-Eater: Pay tribute to
Preferred: Thank/praise/honor
Flesh-Eater: Per annum
Preferred: A year
Flesh-Eater: Per capita
Preferred: Per person
Flesh-Eater: Performs the function of
Preferred: Functions as
Flesh-Eater: Placed under arrest
Preferred: Arrested
Flesh-Eater: Prove beneficial
Preferred: Benefit
Flesh-Eater: Put in an appearance
Preferred: Appear
Flesh-Eater: Prior/preparatory/previous to
Preferred: Before
Flesh-Eater: Provided that
Preferred: If
Flesh-Eater: Relative to the issue of
Preferred: About
Flesh-Eater: Retired for the night
Preferred: Went to bed
Flesh-Eater: Rendered assistance to
Preferred: Helped
Flesh-Eater: Request the appropriation of
Preferred: Ask for (more) money
Flesh-Eater: Retain her position as
Preferred: Remain as
Flesh-Eater: Serves the function of
Preferred: Serves as
Flesh-Eater: Substantiate
Preferred: Prove
Flesh-Eater: Submitted his resignation
Preferred: Resigned
Flesh-Eater: Succeeded in defeating
Preferred: Defeated
Flesh-Eater: Succumbed to his injuries
Preferred: Died
Flesh-Eater: Sufficient consideration
Preferred: Enough thought
Flesh-Eater: Shortfall in supplies
Preferred: Shortage
Flesh-Eater: So far as x is concerned
Preferred: As for x
Flesh-Eater: Special ceremonies marking the event were held
Preferred: Ceremonies marked the event
Flesh-Eater: Subsequent to
Preferred: After
Flesh-Eater: Sustained injuries
Preferred: Was hurt
Flesh-Eater: Take action on the issue
Preferred: Act
Flesh-Eater: This day and age
Preferred: Today/nowadays
Flesh-Eater: Took into consideration
Preferred: Considered
Flesh-Eater: The tools they employed
Preferred: Their tools
Flesh-Eater: The results so far achieved
Preferred: The results
Flesh-Eater: Under active consideration
Preferred: Being considered
Flesh-Eater: Until such time as
Preferred: Until
Flesh-Eater: Under preparation
Preferred: Being prepared
Flesh-Eater: Under the circumstances
Preferred: In this/that case
Flesh-Eater: Voiced approval
Preferred: Approved
Flesh-Eater: Was a witness of
Preferred: Saw
Flesh-Eater: Was suffering from
Preferred: Had
Flesh-Eater: We are of the opinion
Preferred: We think
Flesh-Eater: We are in receipt of
Preferred: We received
Flesh-Eater: Wend one's way
Preferred: Go
Flesh-Eater: Will be the speaker at
Preferred: Will speak
Flesh-Eater: With the minimum of delay
Preferred: As soon as possible/ASAP
Flesh-Eater: With the result that
Preferred: So
Flesh-Eater: Worked their way
Preferred: Went
Flesh-Eater: With the exception of
Preferred: Except
Flesh-Eater: With a view to
Preferred: To
Flesh-Eater: With reference to
Preferred: About
Flesh-Eater: With regard to
Preferred: About
Flesh-Eater: With the result that
Preferred: So that
Flesh-Eater: When and if
Preferred: When#2501•
5. Please Don’t Feed the Zombies, Flesh-Eaters, and Pleonasms
Helen Sword, a professor at the University of Auckland, is the creator of the more vivid term, a scary noun we will want to treat with circumspection (sic). "I call them 'zombie nouns,'" she writes, "because they cannibalize active verbs, suck the lifeblood from adjectives and substitute abstract entities for human beings."#547•
Chapter 6
If you cannot understand my argument, and declare "It's Greek to me," you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger; if your wish is father to the thought; if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool's paradise—why, be that as it may, the more fool you, for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you think it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think it is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then—to give the devil his due—if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I was dead as a doornail, if you think I am an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then—by Jove! O Lord! Tut tut! For goodness' sake! What the dickens! But me no buts!—it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare.
—Bernard Levin#2485•
Chapter 8
Inveigle: To beguile or persuade by deceit and trickery. Think Iago.#2935•
Literally: Ridiculous arguments about this from people who defend umpteen nonsense statements. "We were literally flooded with books." "He literally went up in smoke." "He literally exploded in anger." Literally means "exactly, to the letter." To say "He literally went up in smoke" means he was burned, exploded, et cetera.#2940•