This year's list of "banished words" includes some of my personal bêtes noires, including "authored," "give back," and "____ is the new ____."
The Lake Superior State University's annual New Year's List of Banished Words has some great nominees, including "organic" used when the writer means "natural," and "decimate," which is used increasingly to denote the opposite of decimation (reduction by one-tenth vs. near-total obliteration), a misuse committed almost daily by cable-TV newsheads.
Others on the list: "Give back." "It is what it is." "Perfect storm."
LSSU missed the two which, for me, are like chewing glass: "sustainable" and "awesome." Both of these are in (mis)use everywhere, but they seem particularly widespread in Portland. Sustainable has become a catch-all synonym for not wasting a bunch of stuff, as well as a general adjective of praise; I've even heard people refer to "a sustainable political campaign," which sounds like the candidate is going to be composted at the end of it. (If only.)
But nothing -- nothing -- is as bad as "awesome," which was annoying enough back in the Valley-girl craze of the 1980s and has been revived as an all-purpose idiocy. I'd be fine with it if it was reserved for images from the Hubble telescope, but now it's everywhere. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? Awesome. Free Tater Tots with that burger? Awesome.
It's un-awesome. It's awesomely stupid. Do people really want to sound like Rachael Ray?
LSSU is taking submissions for next year's list. Hmmmm.
Geez Kevin, "why do you have to be such a hater?"
I think you missed one, one that you mentioned to me earlier last year as being both particular to Portland and for seriously getting on your nerves. Hint: it's in the above quotes.
In addition, I Lizzy Caston am an 'Awesome' abuser in both word and scribe. I vow to work on that for 2008.
Have an awesome, er I mean, terrific new year.
Posted by: Lizzy Caston | January 02, 2008 at 01:36 AM
Oh, yeah. "Don't be hatin'."
Related to the same thing: the mixing of the two meanings of "judgmental."
It can mean either "using [good] judgment" or "being insufferably critical" (which I may be doing right now), but being "judgmental" is as serious a modern sin as being a "hater."
As far as "awesome" - "splendid" is due for a revival. Wouldn't you like to lead it? Coming from you, it would sound...well...just splendid.
Posted by: Kevin Allman | January 02, 2008 at 03:42 AM
Adding to the list:
"I'm all about ___"
- and -
"Snarky"
I see the word, "snarky," about once a day these days in perusing blogs and even mainstream press, particularly in the Portland area.
Posted by: metroknow | January 02, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Those are both great nominations.
"Snarky" feels like a 2002 word, doesn't it? We can call it what it is: "passive-aggressively snotty."
Posted by: Kevin Allman | January 02, 2008 at 01:04 PM
As a complete over-abuser of Awesome, I've come to at least see it. And isn't that really the first step? Recognition? I'll put that on my list. I'd like to invite everyone to stop ending e mails with the word "cheers"--it drives me up a wall. What, are you sitting at your desk working with a beer in your hand? Well, maybe, but it's weird.
Posted by: Lelo | January 02, 2008 at 01:21 PM
I'm in total, cheerful agreement with Lelo. And I didn't realize the beer while typing is considered weird, so due to online social pressure I'm putting that down too. Well, putting it down to type.
Adding to the list once more: Since I am also a confessed Awesome over-user, and have tried out substitutes like, "Rad," "cool," and, "right on," I would like to nominate, "Nice."
As in:
J: Hey guess what? This is so cool - I just lost 50 lbs this week and to celebrate I am having an Awesomely Rad 50lb side of beef.
Devil: NICE. Cheers!
Posted by: metroknow | January 02, 2008 at 01:44 PM
You don't know what your talking about, Rachael Ray is awesome.
Posted by: Kyle B. | January 02, 2008 at 02:07 PM
When it comes to overused-to-the-point-of-losing-all- meaning, "sustainable" easily eclipses all others in national park circles.
As a personal peeve, "I'm all about ___" tops my list. What exactly is this supposed to mean?
When a twenty-something in my office expressed her preference for saving Xerox paper with the remark, "I'm all about double-sided copies," all I could think was, "And what a boring life you must have, then!"
Posted by: Ranger Bob | January 02, 2008 at 03:53 PM
... and let's not forget "I'm all about"'s cousin, "I'm the type of person who..."
The #1 ban I'd like to see for 2008 is the hyphenate, "mean-spirited." As in, "Your comment was really mean-spirited." When I once called someone on this limp-wristedness, and further asked him to say what he really meant, he replied with a post full of invectives that ended, "Happy, Nancy?"
Why, yes actually.
Posted by: nancy | January 06, 2008 at 01:52 PM
I love stopping by your blog, it's awesome!
Posted by: Kevin | January 06, 2008 at 02:27 PM