Banished Words

Posted by R. Berg on January 26, 2002 at

In Reply to: Banished Words posted by Wordy Camel on January 26, 2002

: : : : : Lake Superior State University released its 27th annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness.The compilation draws from hundreds of nominations received from all over the world by mail and through the Internet.

: : : : : LSSU forms a committee in December to review the year's entries and decide which of them will be included on the list. Word-watchers pull nominations from everyday speech, as well as from the news, fields of education, technology, advertising, politics, and more.

: : : : : See link below.

: : : : Bruce,

: : : : Lovely stuff. I'll be there with some nominations next year. Getting in early with my own pet hates - 'hot temperatures', 'cheap prices' etc. I winch to even type them.

: : : : Gratifying to this old Brit that Lake Superior State University advocates the Queen's English.

: : : : Gary

: : : As a medical doctor, 'skin rash' and 'dead body' spring to my mind!

: : Continuing along the medical theme, how about the overused journalistic phrase: "...lost his brave battle with cancer." The Onion, a satirical newspaper, had a headline saying someone, "...Lost His Cowardly Battle with Cancer." Another journalistic cliche, "grim task," referring to cleanup/body recovery after a disaster.

:
: From my time in an Internet design firm I would like to add the following:

: 1) "Transition" used as a verb. "We are going to transition you to the green team."
: 2) "Reactionary" used in bizarre ways. "Jenny was like really reactionary when I told her I was leaving."
: 3) "Speak to" instead of "respond to" or "address". "Josh can speak to that point"

: We could also like, banish "like", you know?

Why is it so often reported that some celebrity or other gave birth to a baby girl or a baby boy? Any boy or girl who has just been born is a baby.

• Banished Words Bruce Kahl 01/26/02
  • Banished Words Chris 01/27/02
    • Banished Words James Briggs 01/27/02