A protest against “deceleration” and like barbarisms

In the discussion at the meeting of December 9, 1910, the use of the word “deceleration”, by one of the speakers, prompted me to make a vehement protest against such absurd words, and to make a plea in behalf of decent technical American English. My remarks relative to this objectionable word have been expunged from the discussion, as being really extraneous to the subject of the paper under discussion. There are so many, however, who cannot distinguish between the real and the counterfeit, in technical word-coinage, that “deceleration” will continue to grow in popularity, unless attention is called publicly to its spurious character. I am glad, therefore, to accept the suggestion of the editing committee, that my views about this word, and others of the same stamp, be published in the Proceedings.