Learning new words and being able to find the word that means exactly what the story needs can mean the difference between a mediocre story and a brilliant one.
On Wednesdays we will identify an unusual word, provide its definition, and discuss its application or its impact.
So I’ve been developing a reporting process at work, and, in naming columns, I’ve tried to be as concise as possible. One of the columns I’ve had to create involves an approval from someone who is notified about a given project.
And it appears I discovered a deficiency in the English language. What do you call a person who is notified? Funny thing, there isn’t a precise word with that definition. The closest words I was able to find were “recipient” – one who receives, and “addressee” – one who is addressed. However, a person notified is informed in an official or formal way and is usually expected to take some kind of action. Neither “recipient” or “addressee” indicates the need for response. Both of these people passively accept information.
So just like “addressee,” it seems we need a word like “notifee.” It sure would simplify the column description I’ve currently used, which is currently the lengthy “Notification Party.” It looks awfully silly and sounds pretentious too.
Have you come across the need for a particular word that doesn’t seem to exist? What do you think of coining “notifee” as a useful word?