Vocabulary is paint, not timber.

As a lover of language, I have no problem with people using rhetoric to amplify a point or make an idea more enticing or even beautiful. On the other hand, because the lure of terminology is so great, many people wind up using language to score points or even win arguments despite there being no substance underneath the linguistic smoke. Here are two examples.

The next time you hear someone espouse a right to something or other, you might consider asking him, “What, exactly, is the difference between something you want, something you need, and something you have a right to receive?”

The next time someone accuses you of bashing someone, you might consider asking him, “What, exactly, is the difference between disagreeing with someone, criticizing him, and bashing him?”

In all such cases, be sure to get a clear answer. However, since clarity will probably undermine the point being made, you should also be prepared for the person to get angry at you for asking such simple questions. That will be the surest sign you’ve properly identified the problem.