Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
This is one of those rants about the common misuse of the word, epicenter. I get it, these rants can be futile. But I gotta say this anyway.

I often see epicenter mentioned in news articles talking about the growing Covid-19 virus epidemic. Maybe its a mistaken view that the "origin of a infectious disease outbreak" sounds less ominous than an "epidemic's epicenter". These words don't make it worse or better. They only show the absence of a good editor on the news site.

An epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake originates. There isn't any other definition for this word other than in seismology.
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Mr._Clark

Audioholic Samurai
I had thought it referred to the virus originating in a subterranean bat cave or something.

My apologies to anyone who experienced mental suffering due to my lame attempt at virus humor.
 
JerryLove

JerryLove

Audioholic Samurai
I had thought it referred to the virus originating in a subterranean bat cave or something.

My apologies to anyone who experienced mental suffering due to my lame attempt at virus humor.
That sort of humor is a plague :p
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
This is one of those rants about the common misuse of the word, epicenter. I get that these rants can be futile. But I gotta say this anyway.

I often see epicenter mentioned in news articles talking about the growing Covid-19 virus epidemic. Maybe its a mistaken view that the "origin of a infectious disease outbreak" sounds less ominous than an "epidemic's epicenter". These words don't make it worse or better. They only show the absence of a good editor on the news site.

An epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake originates. There isn't any other definition for this word other than in seismology.
...
You mean you didn't feel the shaking when it happened? ;)
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
The general public and news media misusing scientific words that have a very specific scientific definition?

I am absolutely shocked! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

LOL, happens all the time. Somebody thinks it makes them seem educated when they use their big words, the sheeple don't know any better and the problem grows. Sometimes our lovely snake oil vendors do it intentionally!

"Good Editors" are a thing of the past! Text messaging and online news outlets have absolutely killed this profession and this skill set. It is sad, but it is true. It is very difficult to make it through most online news articles without wading through the misuse of words like there/their/they're, your/you're, etc etc, syntax errors, grammar mistakes, the list goes on and on (ending a sentence with a preposition ;)).
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
LOL, happens all the time. Somebody thinks it makes them seem educated when they use their big words, the sheeple don't know any better and the problem grows. Sometimes our lovely snake oil vendors do it intentionally!
That reminds me of a woman who wanted to impress someone, and instead of ending her message by the Italian "Ciao", she wrote "CHOW" :eek:
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I think you just touched on the epicenter of the problem when it comes to misusing words in the English language.




:p
 
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