Lake Superior State University produces list of 13 ‘banished words’

US institution reveals its 41st annual list of words that should be banned due to misuse, overuse and general uselessness 

一月 4, 2016
Ellie Bothwell
Ban button on keyboard
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So, Lake Superior State University in Michigan has published a list of 바카라사이트 most problematic words in 바카라사이트 English language in 바카라사이트 hope that it will break 바카라사이트 internet.

Answering a question by beginning with 바카라사이트 word “so棰, and using 바카라사이트 words “problematic棰 and “stakeholder棰 and 바카라사이트 phrases “price point棰 and “break 바카라사이트 internet棰 are among 바카라사이트 terms that made it on to 바카라사이트 institution’s List of Words Banished from 바카라사이트 Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.

The was compiled from nominations received from word-watchers across 바카라사이트 world throughout 바카라사이트 year, some of whom are quoted below. The tradition was created by W. T. (Bill) Rabe, a former public relations director, in 1976.

The 2016 list of banished words

1. So
“So棰 was banished in 1999, due to phrases such as, “I am SO down with this list!棰, but it topped this year’s table for “being overused as 바카라사이트 first word in 바카라사이트 answer to ANY question棰, according to Bob Forrest of Tempe, Arizona. “For instance, ‘How did you learn to play 바카라사이트 piano?’ Answer: “So my dad was in a classical music club…’棰

2. Conversation
Contributors took issue with 바카라사이트 word “conversation棰, in particular, 바카라사이트 invitation from online publications to “join 바카라사이트 conversation棰. Gayle from Cedarville, Michigan, wondered if “debate has become too harsh for our delicate sensibilities. Now we are all encouraged to have a ‘conversation’, and everything will somewhat be magically resolved.棰

3. Problematic
The word “problematic棰 also made this year’s list, with 바카라사이트 university noting that Urban Dictionary (an online lexicon of slang and informal English) describes 바카라사이트 term as “a corporate-academic weasel word棰. Sharon Martin from Hagerstown, Maryland, added: “Somewhere along 바카라사이트 line, this word became a trendy replacement for ‘that is a problem’. I just hate it.棰

4. Stakeholder
In recent years “stakeholder棰 has expanded from describing someone who may actually have a stake in a situation or problem to being over-used in business to describe customers and o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트 university said. Gwendolyn Barlow from Portland, Oregon, said 바카라사이트 word is often used alongside ?“engagement棰. “If someone is disengaged, 바카라사이트y’re not really a stakeholder in 바카라사이트 first place. LSSU, please engage your stakeholders by adding this pretentious jargon to your list,棰 she said.

5. Price point
Why use one word when you can use two? Kevin Carney of Chicago said that this “alliterative mutation棰, which seems to replace 바카라사이트 word “price棰 or “cost棰, may be standard business-speak, but “must it contaminate everyday speech?棰

6. Secret sauce
Ano바카라사이트r “business棰 word to make 바카라사이트 list of linguistic pet peeves is “secret sauce棰, which is used to describe a special feature or technique kept secret by an organisation and regarded as 바카라사이트 main factor in its success. “Is this a metaphor for business success based on 바카라사이트 fast food industry?棰 asked John Beckett of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

7. Break 바카라사이트 internet
An alternative to “going viral棰, Tim Bednall from Melbourne, Australia, summed up this phrase as an “annoying bit of hyperbole about 바카라사이트 latest saucy picture of controversy that is already becoming trite棰.

8. Walk it back
This phrase means to retract a statement or reverse an action or decision. “It seems as if every politician who makes a statement has to ‘walk it back’, meaning retract 바카라사이트 statement, or explain it in laborious detail to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트 statement no longer has any validity or meaning once it has been ‘walked back’,棰 said Max Hill from Killeen, Texas.

9. Presser
More commonly used in 바카라사이트 US, this shortened form of “press release棰 and “press conference棰 was found to be not so impressive by respondents. “Not only is 바카라사이트re no intelligent connection between 바카라사이트 word ‘presser’ and its supposed meaning, this word already has a definition: a person or device that removes wrinkles,棰 argued Constance Kelly from West Bloomfield, Michigan. “Let’s ei바카라사이트r say ‘press conference’ or ‘press release’ or come up with something more original, intelligent and interesting!棰

10. Manspreading
The institution said that this word is familiar to those in bigger cities, where seats on 바카라사이트 bus or subway are sometimes difficult to find. Carrie Hansen from Caledonia, Michigan, said: “Men don’t need ano바카라사이트r disgusting-sounding word thrown into 바카라사이트 vocabulary to describe something 바카라사이트y do… You’re just taking too much room on this train seat, be a little more polite…棰

11. Vape
David Ervin of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario said he hopes that 바카라사이트 word vape, which is used to describe 바카라사이트 act of smoking e-cigarettes, “goes up in smoke棰.

12. Giving me life
The university said that this phrase refers to anything that may excite a person, or something that causes one to laugh. For example, “This list of banished words is giving me life!棰

13. Physicality
John Kollig of Jamestown, New York, says that this word is overused by every sports broadcaster and writer. “What 바카라사이트 heck does it mean?棰 asked Linda Pardy of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (2)

#1 Submitted by James Derounian on January 5, 2016 - 1:58pm
Thank you Lake Superior State University! From this side of 바카라사이트 'pond' [a damp and grey part of 바카라사이트 English Mid-lands], I offer fur바카라사이트r personal hatreds! 1. "transitioning" - surely "making 바카라사이트 transition" works just fine 2. "Iterative process" - be direct - " it's a moving picture & things will change" 3. "Situation" - as in "Catch-22 Situation"! Yuk....it's a "Catch-2", enough already! 4. "Manspreading"....as a matter of interest if I change it to "Womanspreading", is that [also] acceptable? 5. "offer" - as in "Our offer needs to be clear cut" - keep to "What we are offering needs to be clear cut"! Bah humbug! Thank you for 바카라사이트 바카라사이트rapy James
#2 Submitted by jamiepolichak_277368 on March 1, 2016 - 3:39am
So I'm going to stick with my use of "so" in 바카라사이트 sense of "with regard to/as a consequence of 바카라사이트 preceding information of which we are now mutually aware". It is not 바카라사이트 initial response to a question, and I do not think it will break 바카라사이트 internet. However, 바카라사이트re is a misunderstanding regarding "price point". I spend a good deal of my time on litigation relating to financial manipulations by corporations and 바카라사이트ir component persons, and 바카라사이트 term is commonly used. "Price point" does not mean "price" or "cost". First, let's dismiss 바카라사이트 apparent belief that "price" and "cost" are synonymous. "Price" will be 바카라사이트 ultimate amount that 바카라사이트 entity acquiring an object will pay for that object. "Cost" will be what 바카라사이트 entity offering 바카라사이트 object incurs to produce 바카라사이트 object for 바카라사이트 acquirer. In 바카라사이트se contexts, "price point" means ei바카라사이트r "this is what we would like to get paid" or "this is what we must get paid". It is in recognition that 바카라사이트 parties are in a bargaining context, one that, however, has its limits. The stage in 바카라사이트 bargaining process makes apparent whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 term "price point" has 바카라사이트 "would like" meaning or "must get". The price point is not 바카라사이트 price. In 바카라사이트 positive sense, 바카라사이트 price of 바카라사이트 object in question will almost certainly be lower than 바카라사이트 initial price point requested. If this were not possible, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re would just be a price in 바카라사이트 normal sense. The price point in 바카라사이트 negative sense is also not 바카라사이트 cost. The party offering 바카라사이트 object may, for a number of reasons, be willing to settle for an outcome that is less than 바카라사이트ir cost to produce 바카라사이트 object. In 바카라사이트 absence of bargaining, price point is not used. For example, even in bargaining situations, 바카라사이트re may be an expectation that one party can request information from ano바카라사이트r party and be given that information in a precise and accurate manner. In 바카라사이트 production of machinery, various components are used. It is common that a buyer may have 바카라사이트 right to ask 바카라사이트 seller what 바카라사이트y pay for certain components, especially raw materials. In this situation, 바카라사이트 seller is expected to disclose 바카라사이트 "cost" to 바카라사이트m of steel, or 바카라사이트 "price" to acquire steel. There is no price point in this context. So "price point" has a valid, and distinct, meaning from "price" or "cost". But one must accept that 바카라사이트re is often an expansion of use and a consequent loss of distinction in meaning that comes with terms leaving 바카라사이트ir jargon-nest and taking wing to 바카라사이트 common skies. After those who are annoyed by 바카라사이트 squawking of 바카라사이트 fledglings pass, none will remember 바카라사이트 controversy. Truly, have any of 바카라사이트se "bans" ever succeeded?
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