Rant of Speed

You know what ticks me off way more than it ought to?

The phrase "rate of speed."

Speed. Is. A. Rate.
...Already!!!

A rate is "an amount measured in relation to another amount."

Speed is the measure of distance traveled relative to time.
Hence, speed is the rate of change in distance with respect to time (dx/dt).

What makes it worse is that people using this phrase obviously think it's a highly technical term that makes them sound as if they're knowledgeable in the ways of physics, when what it sounds like is: "rate of rate of change in distance relative to time." That doesn't sound smart. That sounds like something President Bush would say, causing everyone to get all over his case about it.

So if you're referring to the absolute value of the derivative of displacement (especially when talking to me), do my perception of your intelligence a favor and call it "speed." Just plain "speed."

Unless you mean velocity.

And don't get me started on "deceleration."