Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
ABSTRACT NOUNS
are frequently nouns made from verbs by the addition of word-forming suffixes such as -ation and -ance (solicitation from solicit; governance from govern, for example); overusing them can make long-winded, hard-to-follow prose. If you think your idea will be more impressive when expressed in abstract language, you probably deceive yourself. Such words cannot make an idea more important than it really is; they usually just express it less clearly: enhancement and improvement of the domiciling arrangements is not as clear as fixing up the house. See also ABSTRACTITIS; SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH; VOICE (2).
