Downgraded
Sir,—The impact of “upgrading” on the Heaphy Track in faraway north-west Nelson is as nothing compared with the apparition of this horrid weasel-word under our very noses, 18 times in one article, in Barry Simpson’s feature story (“The Press,” May 29). How one yearns for the days of plain English, when things were simply
“improved” instead of always having to be “upgraded.” Mr Simpson has the track "being upgraded to a width of not less than one metre.” Why not just widen it? Perhaps “upgrading” is being constantly foisted upon us to imply technological insights beyond the understanding of mere laymen. In north-west Nelson, some roads have been graded steeply by road-builders, and they may be graded roughly by road-graders. Well-graded tracks incline gradually, on both upgrades and downgrades. Who wants them all upgraded? If newspapers were graded on their misuse of jargon, “upgrading” would mean downgrading. — Yours, etc., HARRY EVISON. May 31, 1984. [The sub-editor responsible feels degraded, and promises to upgrade his efforts until he makes the grade.—Editor.]
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Press, 2 June 1984, Page 18
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171Downgraded Press, 2 June 1984, Page 18
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