circular neologisms

[winterbadger]

OK, so many years ago someoen who writes equipment specifications coined the counterfeit verb "ruggedize" meaning to make something (usually electronic equipment) rugged and able to withstand rough transport and use.

Now, when people came around to describing something that had been subjected to this process of making something rugged, what word did they decide to mint? "Ruggedized" of course.

Folks, if ruggedizing is the process of making something rugged, why, after doing that, isn't the thing, well, rugged, instead of "ruggedized" which is thewhelp of a bastard child fathered off of "rugged" to begin with?

Comments

[perigee.livejournal.com]

I think the difference in meaning is that if something is simply "rugged" then it could have come that way, whereas if something is "ruggedized", then someone made it that way, which means it's "value-added", so you can charge more for it.

[winterbadger]

Sadly, I think you're right.

[luscious-purple.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I think there is a "marketeering school" where the marketeering types learn how to puff up prose without actually saying anything.

I have read SO many thousands of press releases that talk about improving "the enterprise's agility, scalability, high availability," whatever....

[tigereyes20151.livejournal.com]

(holds arms open wide and sweeps the badger into a bear hug) don't worry sweetie...it's all good. *smooch*