I must agree with those who have said, in effect, that usage depends on the audience. My profession is the law. If I'm writing a legal brief, I use words that judges and lawyers use and understand. But I alwo write essays, commentaries, op-ed pieces, etc. For those pieces the intended audience requires a different vocabulary.

I always try to remember that when writing (as opposed to having a conversation) I have only one chance to get my message across. The purpose of speaking is to be understood. The purpose of writing is to make it impossible to be MISunderstood.


Stuart Showalter