English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
INCIDENT or INCIDENCE?
I heard about the ~incidence~ at about 5 pm today (nonstandard).
I heard about the *incident* at about 5 pm today (standard).
An incident is something that happens, often something that is unpleasant.
The ~incident~ of industrial actions among university workers in Nigeria needs to be addressed (nonstandard).
The *incidence* of industrial actions among university workers in Nigeria needs to be addressed (standard).
Incidence means the rate, frequency, or extent with which something happens or develops within a given population or period, most commonly referring to negative or undesirable events.
Yesterday’s *incident* speaks to the need to address the *incidence* of motor accident along that road. ✅
GAB
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