PROBLEMATIZE

v.t.To propose problems. [Ill formed and not used. ]

PROBLEMATIZE

PROBLEMATIZE Prob "lem *a *tize v. t.

problematize

prob lem a tize |ˈpräbləməˌtīz ˈprɑbləməˌtaɪz | ▶verb [ with obj. ] make into or regard as a problem requiring a solution: he problematized the concept of history. DERIVATIVES prob lem a ti za tion |ˌpräbləmətəˈzāSHən, -ˌmatə - |noun

problematize

problematize |ˈprɒbləmətʌɪz |(also problematise ) ▶verb [ with obj. ] make into or regard as a problem requiring a solution: he problematized the concept of history. DERIVATIVES problematization |-ˈzeɪʃ (ə )n |noun

problematize

problematize verb WORD NOTE problematize The blame for this awful neologism lies with academia, where the word serves no apparent purpose except to demonstrate one's mastery of obscurantist jargon. Some random titles from the Internet: "Problematizing Formalism: A Double-Cross of the Genre Boundaries "; "Problematizing reifications and naturalizations out of focus. .. "; "Problematizing Said's Exilic Category. " Equally horrible is the related noun, "the problematic. " Then there's "to privilege " (q.v.). Corporate as well as academic culture bears a share of responsibility for this verb-ification of nouns, such as "to incentivize, " or —worse —"to incent " (meaning, I guess, to provide motivation for ), along with "to prioritize, " "to reference, " and "to impact. " Some of these words have actually made it into the New Oxford American Dictionary, but that's no excuse for using them. — JS Conversational, opinionated, and idiomatic, these Word Notes are an opportunity to see a working writer's perspective on a particular word or usage.