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Spoiler alert: This story contains words and phrases that some people want to ban from the English language. "Spoiler alert" is among them. So are "kick the can down the road," "trending" and "bucket list."
A dirty dozen have landed on the 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The nonbinding, tongue-in-cheek decree released Monday by northern Michigan's Lake Superior State University is based on nominations submitted from the United States, Canada and beyond.
"Spoiler alert," the seemingly thoughtful way to warn readers or viewers about looming references to a key plot point in a film or TV show, nevertheless passed its use-by date for many, including Joseph Foly, of Fremont, Calif. He argued in his submission the phrase is "used as an obnoxious way to show one has trivial information and is about to use it, no matter what."
At the risk of further offense, here's another spoiler alert: The phrase receiving the most nominations this year is "fiscal cliff," banished because of its overuse by media outlets when describing across-the-board federal tax increases and spending cuts that economists say could harm the economy in the new year without congressional action.
"You can't turn on the news without hearing this," said Christopher Loiselle, of Midland, Mich., in his submission. "I'm equally worried about the River of Debt and Mountain of Despair."
Other terms coming in for a literary lashing are "superfood," "guru," "job creators" and "double down."
University spokesman Tom Pink said that in nearly four decades, the Sault Ste. Marie school has "banished" around 900 words or phrases, and somehow the whole idea has survived rapidly advancing technology and diminishing attention spans.
Nominations used to come by mail, then fax and via the school's website, he said. Now most come through the university's Facebook page. That's fitting, since social media has helped accelerate the life cycle of certain words and phrases, such as this year's entry "YOLO" — "you only live once."
"The list surprises me in one way or another every year, and the same way every year: I'm always surprised how people still like it, love it," he said.
Rounding out the list are "job creators/creation," "boneless wings" and "passion/passionate." Those who nominated the last one say they are tired of hearing about a company's "passion" as a substitute for providing a service or product for money.
Andrew Foyle, of Bristol, England, said it's reached the point where "passion" is the only ingredient that keeps a chef from preparing "seared tuna" that tastes "like dust swept from a station platform."
"Apparently, it's insufficient to do it ably, with skill, commitment or finesse," Foyle said. "Passionate, begone!"
As usual, the etymological exercise — or exorcise — only goes so far. Past lists haven't eradicated "viral," "amazing," "LOL" or "man cave" from everyday use.
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Leave a Comment:
"Listen" We all know the idiot that phrased this one. Say something worth listening to!
"That Said" Not positive but his face pops up when I hear this one too. What is this supposed to mean?
Can you ban a street named "Yolo"?
how about "pushing the envelope" ????? what the hell does that mean??
"Pushing the envelope" was popularized by Tom Wolfe in "The Right Stuff". It refers to operating an aircraft at or above its tested or theoretical performance capability--typically called the "flight envelope" because of the shape the lines drawn on a graph.
flyboy, you are absolutely correct, but you may agree that the expression predates "The Right Stuff," and "pushing the envelope" simply became popular with those who were previously more uninformed on such topics.
That's correct. The term was used for years in the aero community; Wolfe simply brought it into popular culture, where it began to be overused--often inappropriately.
I'd like to see the following banned:
"Breaking News"
"expert/experts"
Both of these are way overused by the media........Obama's ingrown toenail is NOT breaking news! And, please spare us all the "experts" insight into ingrown toenails!
Reiterate should be on the list. Iterate defines as to say again, so reiterate means say again, again. I hear politicians and reporters say 'reiterate' all the time. Most of the time they are talking about something already said and soon 'reiterate' becomes exponential.
Somewhat like the use of "irregardless"-drives me NUTS when it is used by people who have actually attended college...errrr! AND when 9-1-1 rather then 9/11 is used to describe the date of the terrorists attacks on our soil.
My boss, a woman in her forties (younger than me) uses "10-4" all the time. Makes me cringe. Isn't that CB talk or something?
I nominated "wifey" this year, sorry it didn't make this year's list. At one of the offices that my husband worked at, they had an actual buzzer at managers' meetings. When someone used a current "buzzword", another person would press the buzzer. They got more real work done when people expressed their thoughts in their own words instead of using the Phrase of the Moment.
If I hear one more candidate say, "reaching across the aisle..."
I would like for people to learn the proper use of "begging the question." I notice reporters use the phrase a lot, obviously not knowing what it even means.
SB from Texas,I can't stand reaching across the aisle.
Keep the words, and get rid of the MEDIA that coins them!
How about banning the phrases "for the lack of a better term", and "when all's said and done"!
Politicians & reporters: Please, please stop using the word "Look" as the opening word in your statements.
Spoiler alert: The fiscal cliff is a trending topic and job creators, who are very passionate, are doubling down. "Don't kick the can down the road!" they say. "YOLO, we can't finish our bucket list in this way." But, for now, they will not think about political gurus and instead designate boneless wings as a superfood and celebrate the New Year.
"My/our thoughts and prayers go out to"... whenever there is a tragedy. There. I said it.
I agree with you, "Me in MD." That is such a bull@!$%# phrase. And to assume they speak for all of us like that is just wrong. I don't send prayers out to people. I don't even pray.
It shouldn't surprise me that that there are posters here who are stupid enough to believe that these words are actually banned and an annual year end list done in fun, and that LSSU, MSNBC and the President are all involved in some vast left-wing liberal conspiracy and are out to get you.
Yet, somehow, it does. I guess it's too much to assume that someone can't be that stupid.
How in the world did "Just sayin'" not make it on the list. That one's been driving me crazy!!
NoMoreKimPlease,That is another phrase that I can't stand. Another one is wassup,translated to what's up.
I also think "breaking their silence" is term that should be banished. NO ONE EVER keeps their mouths SHUT as long as a camera is rolling and there is cash to be had.
Kath-=157680,Thank you for that Kathy.Loved your post.It gave me a good laugh in which to end this year.
First ban words, then burn books , and later burn people.
How about 'arguably'? This non-word always annoys me. Please just use 'possibly', or 'probably'.
"fail" should be on the list
Just spent precious seconds reading this dumb article!