Thursday, May 14, 2009

Pre-Approved

My approach to the mail is to let it pile up for a couple of weeks at a time and then, when it claims too much real estate on my desk, I open it all and process it. I just tackled a pile that had probably been growing for three weeks.

Not unlike the usual pile, this one had many unsolicited offers for which I have been "pre-approved". What exactly does that mean?

Based on my understanding of English, it means that I haven't been approved yet. The conclusion of an approval process demarcates pre-approved and post-approved. Right?

So why do these companies use this message? Are they language flunkies who do not realize they are rubbing in our faces the fact that we are "not approved"? Or are they hoping that we will all consistently and miraculously draw the exact opposite conclusion that we are actually post-approved?

Anyone?

6 comments:

  1. I think a lot of credit card companies are hoping that you will read "pre-approved" as meaning you have been approved prior to this notice. There is no need to apply for approval, they've already done that for you. Of course that is a pile of plinger poop, because when you apply, and have bad credit, they make up some story such as accidentally deleting your pre-approval, and now you are de-approved.

    So in this instance, credit companies use "pre" as meaning "prior," such as being "predisposed" to something means there is some priorly existing inclination to do said thing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. John Thomas5/14/2009

    Haven't seen a pile of plinger poop in years...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm going to take a pole here and see how many people know what a plinger is...my guess is 4

    ReplyDelete
  4. count me as "in the know"...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5/15/2009

    no idea...JD

    ReplyDelete
  6. count me in as "in the know" also.........

    ReplyDelete