Phrases to Avoid

I can't fault the New York Times too much. After all, they were quoting what others said in yesterday's article Can a Playground Be Too Safe? about the effects of modern safety playground equipment on the emotional growth of children.

«Paradoxically,» the psychologists write, «we posit that our fear of children being harmed by mostly harmless injuries may result in more fearful children and increased levels of psychopathology.»

Yeah, «bright and shining» for a pretentious nincompoop in love with his thesaurus. In this case, Alan Dean Foster, who wrote the novelization of the movie Star Trek, where I found this word. Even worse than his use of this word where «radiant» would have worked was the context in which it was used. «Refulgent hopes». Are you kidding me? I used to like Alan Dean Foster, but now I wonder whether I liked his books because when I read them I was too young to know any better.

I cringe almost every time I see this phrase, and especially hate «just so happens». It almost always indicates the writer attempting to congratulate her or himself on inventing something unexpected for the reader. It's very much like the false modesty of the supermodel saying, «oh, this old thing?» about the designer gown she wears.

The phrase, if used at all, should be used for genuine coincidence or serendipity: «The lack of the correct allen wrench was all that stood in the way of completing the repair. It just so happens that Roger carries a complete set wherever he goes. Who knew?» I still don't like it because it's such an overused phrase, but it fits.