Using a technical or scientific term incorrectly is like using a computer keyboard to swat a fly. You can do it — but you'll risk cringes from techno-geeks and winces from your readers.

(Stay right there on the desk, you little pest! I've got you now! SPLAT! Oiangohbnqlhfdbnqgegjfsdpnoijg.)

See what I mean?

Scientists routinely send out SWAT teams to kill:

— ground zero — Coined in 1946, "ground zero" originally denoted the point on, above or below the earth's surface where a large explosion occurs. This is why the site of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York is called "Ground Zero."

Sometime during the 1950s, people started using "ground zero" metaphorically to mean the central point of something, the hot spot, as in "Iowa is now ground zero in the battle for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination." And during the 1960s, the term was stretched even further to mean "starting point," as in "We'll have to return to ground zero and hand count all the votes."

So, handle this term with care. I'd avoid using "ground zero" to refer to anything other than the site of significant destruction. Using it in a more general way to mean a central point or a starting point distorts its original meaning and even runs the risk of trivializing the events of 9/11.

— parameters — Originally a mathematical term with several complex definitions, "parameters" has now fallen prisoner to that most hapless of military commanders, General Parlance. Now it's deployed to mean anything from "boundaries" to "factors" to "guidelines," e.g., "The hiring committee set parameters for the search." Mathematicians shudder when they see the General's foot-soldiers using it with such wishy-washy imprecision.

— quantum leap — Speaking of physics, a "quantum leap" is "an abrupt transition (as of an electron, an atom or a molecule) from one discrete energy state to another."

Now that we've got that straight, it's easy to see how "quantum leap" came to mean "an abrupt change, sudden increase or dramatic advance" in any field. "Replacing the carburetor caused a quantum leap in your bill," says the guy who repairs my car (undoubtedly a quantum mechanic).

While scientists have been faulting this quantum leap in the meaning of "quantum leap," this definition has been growing by leaps and bounds. At this point, the main problem with "quantum leap" is simply overuse. So, look before you "quantum leap."

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to WordGuy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

Photo credit: Diana M?ce?anu at Unsplash