Language Police

I have several pet peeves regarding mis-usage of vocabulary. Some things I read or hear are like the scratching of fingernails on the blackboard. Probably tops on my list of bad writing is the idiotic and inexcusable bastardization of the fine word "cohort".

Cohort is a plural word. A cohort is a group. Cohorts would, of course, describe several groups, not several persons, especially, as it is often misused, several nefarious associates.

The LA TIMES uses cohort accurately in a story today:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-channel1oct01,1,2020319.story?ctrack=3&cset=true

The quote, "This fall, homes with DVRs make up nearly 20% (compared with 9% last fall) of Nielsen's national sample of TV viewers -- the cohort whose closely scrutinized behavioral patterns are the most important single factor in deciding whether programs live or die."

Such a pleasure to see a nice word well used.