Ford has decided to make a new word

"Reed Arvin" (farfignewman) 07/23/2015 at 14:09 • Filed to: Ford, Ford GT Race Car, Mark Fields, Raj Nair, Le Mans, language, verbing

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Words are fun. Some of the most entertaining are nouns that get turned into verbs, like when party became partying. Hey! let’s go party! Or in a meeting, some nerd says, “We need to work on our messaging.” Ford’s decided to get in on the actions with Light-weighting.

At first, I thought Ford’s use of lightweight as a verb was a one-off. It showed up in Raj Nair, Ford’s global product development boss’ press release on the new Ford GT race car. “We believe the Ford GT’s advances in aerodynamics, light-weighting and EcoBoost power will make for a compelling race car . . .” But then Mark Fields (Nair’s boss) used it in an interview with Motor Trend. “With this vehicle, it provides a halo for all the innovation . . . the light-weighting, the Eco-Boost . . .” So it’s clearly a thing at Ford, a nomenclature they want to own, like Colin Chapman’s “Add lightness”.

Light-weighting. Here’s a small irony: type it without the hyphen, and spellcheck flags it.

Wobbles the Mind > Reed Arvin 07/23/2015 at 14:18

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A perfectly cromulent word if I have ever seen one. Consider your vocabulary embiggened.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Reed Arvin 07/23/2015 at 14:19

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Lightweighting? Then why did the Mustang get fatter?

Mike > Reed Arvin 07/23/2015 at 14:34

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Isn’t this just Colin Chapman-ing?

Reed Arvin > Mike 07/23/2015 at 14:37

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Chapmaning, maybe? “We’ve been Chapmaning the new S-Class down to 4,000 lbs.” I like it.

Alfalfa Romeo > Reed Arvin 07/23/2015 at 14:37

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Reed Arvin > Alfalfa Romeo 07/23/2015 at 14:38

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and . . . you just won the internet.

Reed Arvin > Mike 07/23/2015 at 14:42

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In a perfect world, “Chapmaning” would take the place of “dieting”.

“No bread tonight?”

“Naw. I’m Chapmaning.”

Gamecat235 > Alfalfa Romeo 07/23/2015 at 15:01

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Came here to post this. Left satisfied.

Alfalfa Romeo > Gamecat235 07/23/2015 at 15:11

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I was in hurry to make sure no one beat me to the punch.

RazoE > Wobbles the Mind 07/23/2015 at 15:16

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Mr. Springfield would be honored.

Tohru > Alfalfa Romeo 07/23/2015 at 16:00

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In the final panel, Hobbes explains Esperanto.