Let me start today’s lesson by noting that the topic is, again, adapted from a recent language review by our Controller of Language at The PUNCH, Mr. Seth Akintoye. I know we have discussed similar issues in this column, but the point he raised on the status of the word, destitute, is very important as it affects several other words too – including mediocre, mature and secure.
I should also quickly clarify that when I say in the topic that there is no destitute in English, I do not mean that there are no poor mortals or beggars in London or any other city in the United Kingdom. Rather, what I have in mind is that destitute is not a noun, it is an adjective, meaning that many of us use it wrongly when it is treated as one:
The man is a destitute. (Wrong)
The economic depression in the country has produced more destitutes. (Wrong)
Stop treating me as if I am a destitute. (Wrong)
The handling of the word in the clauses above is wrong because it is like saying
The man is a stupid.
The girl is a tall.
The right thing is to use destitute as an adjective that it is:
I don’t want to invite him to the party. He is destitute. (Correct)
The destitute girl needs our help. (Correct)
Of course, there is a difference between destitute and words such as lunatic and illiterate, which can be used as adjectives and nouns:
The man who killed his father is now destitute. (Correct)
The man who killed his father is now a destitute. (Wrong)
The man who killed is father is now lunatic. (Correct, as an adjective)
The man who killed is father is now a lunatic. (Correct, as an adjective)
The way you are reasoning shows that you are illiterate. (Correct, as an adjective)
The way you are reasoning shows that you are an illiterate. (Correct, as a noun)
One situation you can use destitute as a noun is to take it to the family of adjectival nouns supported by ‘the’ to refer to groups. In that case, it is used in the plural sense:
The rich also cry.
The poor are not happy with the situation.
The destitute need our attention.
Don’t be a mediocrity
Another word that is generally misused as a noun is mediocre. It is an adjective, but many people violate this status:
The coach cannot achieve much. He is a mediocre. (Wrong)
The coach cannot achieve much. He is mediocre. (Correct)
The managing director never wanted to work with mediocres. (Wrong)
The managing director never wanted to work with mediocre people. (Correct)
The nominal form of mediocre is mediocrity. Interestingly, it not only refers to the quality of being average or not good enough to do something, it also refers to a person of mediocre ability or capacity:
Too much mediocrity is allowed in our civil service. (Correct)
Too many mediocrities are allowed in our civil service. (Correct)
The managing director says he does not want Emmanuel because he is a mediocrity. (Correct}
Of course, mediocre can also be used as a noun with the aid of the, to become a collective term for all mediocrities:
The mediocre are a threat to every organisation.
This government should stop pampering the mediocre.
In rounding off (not up!), I like to remind you that mature and secure are two adjectives that are also often wrongly used. Many confuse them with the verbal forms, hence they turn them into the past tense by adding d to them, even when meant to be adjectives. As verbs, you can have matured and secured. But, as adjectives, don’t add d to them:
I have stopped discussing family matters with the woman. I prefer a matured person. (Wrong)
I have stopped discussing family matters with the woman. I prefer a mature person. (Correct)
Don’t worry. Your car is secured here. (Wrong, when meant to be an adjective.)
Don’t worry. Your car is secure here. (Correct)
Consider the verbal forms:
The cheque has matured. You can collect the money now. (Correct)
I hope the plants are steadily maturing. (Correct)
Yes, they have really matured. (Correct)
I am happy with the way he secured my car. (Correct)
The premises were secured by soldiers. (Correct)
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