So someone at work today was requesting information from participants for a staff meeting, and she framed her request like this: "Here is my ask: [insert request here]." She used "ask" as a noun to mean "the thing that I am asking you for." Why does this piece of jargon even exist when "request" fits the bill as another noun created from a verb? What does "ask" accomplish that "request" can’t? Nothing!
Here’s my REQUEST: Don’t use "ask" as a noun.
3 Comments
Using ‘ask’ as a noun is… stupid.
That’s a first for me. I’ve never heard “ask” used as a noun.
Sometimes I think people “play” with language that way to appear “cute.” I’m not saying it’s successful, but maybe that was why she did it.
Shrug.
[…] most frequently comes up in my workplace in questions such as “What is the value-add for this ask?” Translation: “What’s the point of this request?” [Implied answer: “This is […]