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Wikitravel:Words to avoid
From Wikitravel
(Redirected from Wta)
These are some words to avoid in Wikitravel guides and listings.
- affordable
- Affordable compared to sleeping on the street or in a five-star hotel? Always give exact prices, or at least a price range.
- best
- Or any similar superlative. Unless you've actually tried all the others, this is a presumptuous comparison.
- complimentary
- If it's free, then call it "free" and save four syllables.
- conveniently located
- Fluff. Just say where it is, and what it is close to - preferably metro stations etc, rather than attractions.
- entrée
- Can cause confusion, meaning the main course or first course depending on where you are - choose another word.
- exclusive
- What does that mean? Caters only to millionaires? If so, say so.
- fully equipped
- State what it is equipped with, rather than add this promotional fluff.
- ideal
- State what exactly makes it ideal
- is located in
- This is a long way of saying "is in".
- is situated in
- See "is located in".
- it should be noted that...
- Go ahead and note it, then.
- low(est) prices
- Instead, provide the prices, or at least some examples of them
- luxurious
- Empty, flowery language. Use a more concrete description instead: what part of the hotel/restaurant/etc. do you find luxurious? Are the curtains made of purple velvet? Is the ceiling painted with gilded murals?
- our / we / us
- First-person pronouns are a dead giveaway that the listing is promotional and written by someone with a bias toward the subject. Travelers don't want to know what a hotel's proprietor thinks of the hotel; they want to know what other travelers think of it.
- perfect choice
- State precisely what makes it a perfect choice
- premiere
- Empty, flowery language. If a place or business is "first" in some sense, use that sense specifically. Otherwise, avoid this word.
- premium
- See "premiere".
- privileged location
- Reads strangely in English, but remarks under "conveniently located" apply.
- reasonable
- What's "reasonable" for a business traveller in London is a barbarous outrage for a backpacker in Thailand. Always give exact prices, or at least a price range.
- recommended
- Recommended by whom? Wikitravel is too big to make recommendations. Simply add descriptive listings.
- severe penalties
- $100 fine? imprisonment? death penalty? Be as specific as possible.
- strategic location
- Same as conveniently located
- suggested
- Suggested by whom? Wikitravel is too big to make recommendations. Simply add descriptive listings.
- sumptuous
- See "luxurious".
- travellers should remember that...
- Good thing we wrote it down in the guides, then.
- tourist
- A negatively-weighted word in English. Very few English-speaking travellers identify themselves as tourists; almost all recreational travellers are.
- unique / unique for (kind of travellers)
- State what exactly makes it unique
- well appointed
- Hotel companies love to use this phrase; travellers are still trying to figure out what it means.
