I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have become increasingly irritated by a person answering the phone and responding “Actually, he is away from his desk” or “She, is actually, on another phone call”. First of all, the term “actually” adds nothing to the response. If anything, it almost sounds like the person giving the response if making up a story on the fly. Our world would be better if people would do all they can to delete the word “actually” from their vocabulary.

Ditto the use of the word “Absolutely”. “Yes” will convey the same meaning with less bravado. If the response you receive is always “Absolutely” where a simple “yes” will do, what has been added? “Absolutely” is another word which could be comfortably deleted from most people’s vocabulary without any real loss of power to communicate.

As a 66 year old Massachusetts title attorney, I have lived through the lives of four adolescent children (now grown-ups) and their addictive use of the word “like”. Just when I thought it was safe to communicate with others using real English, I have been recently hit with a barrage of “Actuallys” and “Absolutelys”. Let’s all work hard to eliminate these terms from our everyday business communications. Their loss will be our gain!!!!!

Elliott Topkins   www.topkinsandbevans.com