<p>I just saw an ad for financial services on TV and they said, “We need to grow our business”. I turned to H and said, “That’s not the right usage of the word. You might want to increase revenue or profitability, but to ‘grow’ used that way is wrong.” He replied, “No,it’s fine”. He has a Masters in English but I think he’s wrong. Comments please!</p>
<p>It’s a metaphor. One of the legitimate meanings of grow is “To cause to grow” as in “We grow corn”. Similarly, “We grow businesses.” </p>
<p>I don’t like it though. I think it sounds stupid.</p>
<p>From Merriam Webster (see the last entry) :</p>
<p>intransitive verb1 a: to spring up and develop to maturity b: to be able to grow in some place or situation <trees that=“” grow=“” in=“” the=“” tropics=“”> c: to assume some relation through or as if through a process of natural growth <ferns growing=“” from=“” the=“” rocks=“”>2 a: to increase in size by assimilation of material into the living organism or by accretion of material in a nonbiological process (as crystallization) b: increase, expand <grows in=“” wisdom=“”>3: to develop from a parent source <the book=“” grew=“” out=“” of=“” a=“” series=“” lectures=“”>4 a: to pass into a condition : become <grew pale=“”> b: to have an increasing influence <habit grows=“” on=“” a=“” person=“”> c: to become increasingly acceptable or attractive <didn’t like=“” it=“” at=“” first,=“” but=“” grew=“” on=“” him=“”>transitive verb1 a: to cause to grow <grow wheat=“”> b: to let grow on the body <grew a=“” beard=“”>2: to promote the development of <start a=“” business=“” and=“” grow=“” it=“” successfully.=“”></start></grew></grow></didn’t></habit></grew></the></grows></ferns></trees></p>
<p>[grow</a> - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary](<a href=“http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grow]grow”>Grow Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster)</p>
<p>More business jargon, possibly part of a changing paradigm?</p>
<p>You’ve heard the old saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Well, that financial services company wants people to think it does.</p>
<p>This use of “grow” is has become completely acceptable and normal in business writing. </p>
<p>I suppose it’s part of the evolution of our language.</p>
<p>When my church wanted to to put something in the annual report about “growing the congregation”, a number of us objected strenuously, and the wording was changed, thankfully. </p>
<p>The problem with business jargon is that it creeps into everyday use. Some expressions gradually become prioritized and people are disincented, going forward, to leverage their understanding of best practices into a holistic pursuit of excellence.</p>
<p>When dealing with language, the change always comes. Once a new usage is coined it prevails, esthetics be darned. And all the kings horses and all the kings men can’t put humpty together again.</p>
<p>So, we just have to get used to it.</p>
<p>I am just about getting used to “I could care less.” It has become the preferred usage, when during my childhood the phrase was “I couldn’t care less.”</p>
<p>“Grow the business” or “grow the congregation” is efficient and clear, so I think this usage will be preserved and grow (haha)!</p>
<p>When less efficient usages take root I find it more annoying, such as orientate instead or orient, or “my kind of a friend,” instead of “my kind of friend.” However, even though I may not like these phrases, they’re here to stay.</p>
<p>Orientate is my personal irritant, as working in a hospital, that word has become common. Past tense, orientated. Icky, whether I’m oriented or not. Good post, good perspective on changing language, mythmom.</p>
<p>But, but, but (sputter) “I could care less” does not make sense if the intent is to say that one is unconcerned! Does that not matter?</p>
<p>Even sillier is how businesses talk about the portion of growth that is “organic” as opposed to being the result of acquisitions. </p>
<p>When people say “I could care less” I sometimes ask “You could?” They usually look at me funny, or perhaps funnily.</p>
<p>I’ve asked my kids about “I could care less,” which seems to be saying the opposite of what it wants to say to all of us.</p>
<p>That is the usage they’re used to. Their explanation? That it’s ironic. So a mistake has been enshrined as some kind of very low level wit or sarcasm. And so it goes.</p>
<p>I hate the “grow” usage. Just doesn’t sound right.</p>
<p>OTOH, I always thought, but maybe I’m wrong, that “I could care less” had an agreed-upon irony factor built in, with the unspoken ,but implied, “but it’s hard to imagine how” as obvious to the hearer.</p>
<p>However, so many people complain about it, that I can see that the obvious unheard, that I heard, was not obvious to most listeners. But, I still hear it every time someone says it…</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that usage of grow is correct, if not all that elegant or precise. Grow means a number of different things; to develop, and to increase in size are among them - and this usage obviously includes those two.</p>
<p>I think it is a euphemism.</p>
<p>garland, since you brought up “I could care less”, which means the same thing as “I couldn’t care less”, here’s how that happened:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words”>Caring About Whether You Couldn't Care Less - Dictionary.com]Dictionary.com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Then there’s “flammable” and “inflammable”, both with the same meaning.</p>
<p>These irk me more than the use of “grow”. In business, I’ve also heard the term “organic growth” used to mean expansion of the current business as opposed to growth through M&A–there’s more of that silly plant metaphor. Businesses can’t grow organically. That is hooey.</p>