The word mentor as a verb.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Sun Nov 09, 2003 6:57 pm

The word mentor as a verb does not get the nod from the Macquarie Dicionary, regarded as being the arbiter of Australian English. Is it used in this manner in the US and if so for how long?

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 12:12 am

Paul,Webster's New World Fourth Edition, which is the last word here in the United States, says yes to mentor as a verb.Do I like it? Not sure.

jmcg · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 12:26 am

Count me in with the Aussies. Love to
find a continent where it's off limits as
a noun, too.

Rio · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 1:41 am

These kind of nouns-converted-to-verbs are frowned upon at most U.S. newspapers, considering such language to be lame, trendy jargon.Only once in a great while will such a verb break into the ranks of respectable language. The most recent example is the verb "to host," which The Associated Press only recently finally, grudgingly said was acceptable.As Bill Walsh pointed out in his book before AP caved in on this issue, "to host" serves a purpose because the English language (American English, anyway) doesn't have a practical alternative. Or something like that; I'm paraphrasing. Anyway, the same cannot be said of "to mentor," which should be confined to "Dilbert" comic strips.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 1:54 am

Lame, trendy jargon is the objection I was fishing for. Thanks.

SusanV · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 11:44 am

Mentor as a verb bothers me a hell of a lot less than does impact as a verb!

Rio · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 3:51 pm

LOL! They're both bad, but I agree, "to impact" is worse!

majorbabs · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:08 pm

So, we are averse to the notion or idea of negatively impacting a person of vertically-challenged height as we mentor him or her in transversing the path or trail's option which was unvalidated as a route?

Jackie · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:19 pm

Babs, you need a day off. :)

SusanV · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 7:09 pm

LOL!For those of you who don't like mentor as a verb, do you feel the same way about tutor (let's ignore for the moment that tutor as a verb has been accepted much longer)? Seems to me they're analogous.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2003 10:22 pm

Interesting question. Looking at the history of tutor and noun in the Oxford English dictionary, quite clearly the word has changed , with the modern meaning emerging in the 19th and 20th centuries.
That said, tutor as a verb does not cause the shudders that the mentor does.
[Cop a squiz at the etymology of the noun mentor to see why]
The word delivers the goods, so all is well.
Ah, yes add ''to author'' to that shudder list.[ November 10, 2003: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ][ November 10, 2003: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ][ November 10, 2003: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:46 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Paul Wiggins:
That said, tutor as a verb does not cause the shudders that the mentor does. <hr></blockquote>That's because "tutor" did not morph into a noun in your lifetime. If "mentor" as a noun becomes a standard usage, people in the future will think nothing of it, just as you think nothing of using "tutor" as a noun.

KfitzR · **Posted:** Thu Nov 13, 2003 10:33 am

The Concise Oxford ('87) has 'mentor' as a noun only. The Canadian Oxford ('98) allows it as both noun and verb. I'm coming around to the sense that it serves a purpose. However, I maintain a rearguard action against 'impact' as a verb. We all pick our battles.

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Thu Nov 13, 2003 11:44 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by ADKbrown:
That's because "tutor" did not morph into a noun in your lifetime. If "mentor" as a noun becomes a standard usage, people in the future will think nothing of it, just as you think nothing of using "tutor" as a noun.<hr></blockquote>I meant to say "verb," not "noun," in the examples above.

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Sat Nov 22, 2003 2:35 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by SusanV:
Mentor as a verb bothers me a hell of a lot less than does impact as a verb!<hr></blockquote>
That's one o' my pet peeves too, and it occurred to me this morning that the reason for its popularity might be that so many people can't discern between "affect" and "effect."I'm not thrilled with "impact" as a noun, either... unless it's in a story about a meteor.

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2003 12:48 pm

Sorry, but I refuse to cave on "host." Bill's point is well-taken (though related through an unofficial spokesman), but I have had this quasi-verb on my shitlist for so long that even AP's decision to admit it won't change me.Sadly, it is indeed hard to write around it. But I have been doing so for many years and will continue. Rim editors have been sending it into slot as a verb forever, so I will just continue to fix it.Oh, and Paul: "cop a squiz?" What the hell is that? Sounds like something we used to do in the '60s.

KfitzR · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2003 2:07 pm

"cop a squiz?" Surely the same thing as "take a quick squinny"

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2003 8:12 pm

Sorry about the lapse into Australian idiom. Here's the go:
COP: to take a look at (something arresting): cop that poster over there. SQUIZ noun Colloquial 1. a quick but close look: *Take a squiz over here. - RUTH PARK, 1948 verb (t) (squizzed, squizzing) 2. to inspect. [Devonshire d. squiz to look at; ? b. SQUINT and QUIZ][ November 27, 2003: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]

Jackie · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:06 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Paul Wiggins:
Sorry about the lapse into Australian idiom. <hr></blockquote>
Paul, I like reading your posts because of your Australian voice, among other reasons. (Cool accent, too.) :)[ November 28, 2003: Message edited by: Jackie ]

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