Yes, someone actually makes up a list of words and phrases that they state should be banned to the List of Words Banished for mis-use, over-use, and general uselessness.
The place is Lake Superior State University. I guess this list has been around a while since this is the 35th annual list although I can officially state I have never ever seen it before. But for a bit of history on said university and said list:
Former LSSU Public Relations Director Bill Rabe and friends created "word banishment" in 1975 at a New Year's Eve party and released the first list on New Year's Day. Since then, LSSU has received tens of thousands of nominations for the list, which includes words and phrases from marketing, media, education, technology and more.All I have to say is this was started at a New Year's Eve Party where I imagine alcohol was involved. Now the list makes sense.
So on to their 15 words and phrases they 'unfriended' and declared them 'shovel-ready' for inclusion to this list. They are:
1. Shovel-ready - according to LSSU, the accepted definition of this phrase is to imply that a project has been completely designed and all that is left to do is to implement it. But when something dies, it would also be considered shove-ready for burial so LSSU is confused about the meaning of this word and therefore it should be banned. Guess they don't mean the garden is ready for planting but then again I can't even remember ever saying anything is shovel-ready.
2. Transparent/transparency - according to LSSU, this word should be banned because it is becoming the new buzzword for the year. It is supposed to mean obvious or easily understood. Okay, isn't that the real definition or am I just not getting it?
3. Czar - according to LSSU this word has been used as a metaphor for positions of high authority. Still not seeing a problem here.
4. Tweet - according to LSSU this word and all its variations (tweetaholic, retweet, twitterhea, twitterature, twittersphere, etc) should be banned because it is overused and is pointless. I am beginning to think LSSU has nothing better to do and quite possibly do not tweet.
5. App - according to LSSU this is just another abbreviation and we should be using the correct word 'programs'. I think the people who attend LSSU are dweebs or even geekier than me and have no life.
6. Sexting - according to LSSU this involves the sending of sexually explicit pictures and text messages through a cell phone and should be banned because it is a dangerous new trend. Okay, is phone sex with your husband also banned?
7. Friend (used as a verb) - according to LSSU this word became popular through social networking websites - one adds someone or 'friends' someone to their page or the reverse - unfriends them by removing them as a friend. Were these people drunk?
8. Teachable moment - according to LSSU this would otherwise be known as a lesson and according to them stating it as a teachable moment is actually a condescending substitute. They also stated that if everything is a teachable moment then everyone should have teaching credentials. Does that mean I need a teaching credential if I decide to ever take an opportunity to show or teach a grandchild to go potty on the toilet?
9. In these economic times - according to LSSU this phrase should be banned because it is overused and redundant and that all times are economic times therefore it is confusing. I actually agree with this one - maybe there is more geek in me.
10. Stimulus - according to LSSU this word has been used way too much. I agree in the political terms but in sexual terms......it's very appropriate.
11. Toxic assets - according to LSSU this makes them sick and instead we should be using words like 'bad stocks' or 'debts' or 'loans'. I agree again and that is getting scarey.
12. Too big to fail - according to LSSU nothing is too big to fail unless the government lets it and that we will never know if a company is too big to fail unless it somehow does fail then it will no longer be too big to fail so therefore the phrase has to stop. Huh?
13. Bromance - according to LSSU we have been brought to the point that just being friends has to be described in a pseudo-romance context and LSSU is just too sick of combined type of words like this and frenemies, blogorrhea, etc. I can actually state that I have never ever heard of this and therefore don't see a problem with it.
14. Chillaxin' - according to LSSU this word has been nominated for several years and they "couldn't chill about it anymore". It is supposed to be a combination of the words chillin' and relaxin' and therefore a made up word used by annoying Gen-Yers. Okay, I am beginning to see a pattern here - do you?
15. The last word I am leaving alone and not even touching it. If you want to check out what it is, feel free.
The pattern I am seeing here is the following: The people at LSSU's New Year's Eve Party where these words are voted on to be banished is a boring old fogey party where people have nothing better to do than to make fun of anyone younger than they are. That is my opinion and I be sticking to it then chillaxin' and checking out stimulus.
