Peeves

The Merriam Webster defines issue as (among other things) "concern, problem" without further caveat. This suggests that the usage of issue to mean problem has plenty of precedent. I understand that a style guide would want to be fairly prescriptive about this, but, really, it doesn't seem reasonable to dislike this usage in general English.

Ah, TE delivery! Leaves a lot to be desired, lots of issues!

What does The Economist's style book say about the use of 'both' - as in 'Johnson .... has time for both facts and opinions'?

This is just the nature of language and language change. When words take on too-onerous meanings, speakers look for euphemism replacements. In a few decades, we'll be distancing ourselves from "issue" in favor of a new expression. On it goes.

This is just the nature of language and language change. When words take on too-onerous meanings, speakers look for euphemism replacements. In a few decades, we'll be distancing ourselves from "issue" in favor of a new expression. On it goes.

My attitude has always been that issues are things that are to be talked about and problems are things that are to be solved.

'"Issue" seems to have migrated in an unusual direction, from official euphemism right down to the kids.'

Not that unusual - very common for people to complain of feeling "depressed" instead of unhappy.

The other day I heard a woman (possibly in her twenties) say "D'you know what, my esteem levels are at rock bottom, one farzand percent, no joke."

Social workers provide most of the opportunities for calm conversation, for some people. This defines the vocabulary of the playground.

What really perplexes me is "random." About ten years ago it began to be used, all by itself, to express contempt on encountering something unexpected or slightly novel, e.g. a conspicuously original hair style.

Inflection often rises from the R to the M, turning it into a proposal put the group by the Queen Bee, which may be seconded by her trusted Lieutenant with the response "Sooooo random."

So you're telling us to eschew the problem altogether?

Yes, but...

Coming from a technical background, there is a difficulty talking about the "bugs" in a product. Generally the word issue fits best. The word "bug" is too friendly and masks the fact that most bugs are errors caused by engineers. However not all issues are errors, some are feature-requests, some are things that need clarification. Some are genuine "non-issues", that should never have been raised. They are things that arise out of the product development process, they "issue forth" and hence why not use this wonderfully neutral word "issue"?

I am not sure I agree - we have gently graded words for many things that may cause offence - so 'problem' is bigger than 'issue' is bigger than 'concern' etc. The meanings have not elided - they just represent points on a scale.

Perhaps it would be more perfect to express this numerically, as in 'issue[10%' - but I doubt it will catch on! And anyway someone would go for 110%...

"The Economist has issues–51 a year" !! - Laughing my rear-end off :)

Ditto the phrase "jump start the economy". Over utilized and compleltely vacuous, as if an economy just needed a couple of cables from your neighbors junker to fix everything. Think about it.

On the peeve scale, issue may get some over use, but why not go after some red meat euphemism abuse?

We all want to talk about it, I know it, that obnoxious term which issued forth from deep in the bowls of market-droid-dom back orrifices: pre-owned. A term only used car salesmen could love and in fact do. Now, that is a peeve worthy of some copy! In comparison, issue abuse hardly rates.

"If you disagree with The Economist, you may take issue with it. Be precise."

You are assuming that people wish to be precise in every social setting. Or that cultural norms about directness are constant.

There are lots of situations and indeed cultures/languages that prefer a modicum of vagueness.

Johnson overlooks another traditional use of the word "issue", as an euphemism for an offspring. For some reason, Wikipedia entries of kings and emperors always seem to refer to their offspring as 'issues'...

Kelly Clarkson's song My Life Would Suck Without You has these lyrics:

"Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye
Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight
I know that I've got issues
But you're pretty messed up too
Either way I found out
I'm nothing without you"

That use of "issues" conveys a ton of meaning: shorthand for lots of ways you can be screwed up. The blog complaint is about when issues is too general.

This usage seems to follow logically enough from accepted legal usage of "issue".

Colleagues (who are now, apparently, "coworkers" in the US) were amused when I spoke up in a meeting to state "magazines have issues, tunnels have issues, marriages have issues; machines have breakdowns and people have problems".

E.

'Issue' is a type of Conflict, but on the milder spectrum:

Qualms- Tiff- Spat-Irritation- Issue- Problem -Quarrel- Feud- War- Generational Conflict- Armageddon Showdown

An 'Issue' is less than a 'Problem', but more than a 'Tiff'.

When people's used "she's got issues" to mean "she's completely bonkers" enough times, the word will lose any euphemistic utility it yet retains. Maybe we can go back to having problems again then?