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Yep, it's that time again.
The 41st annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness:
SO
Most nominated and already banished in 1999.
“Currently, it is being overused as the first word in the answer to ANY question. For instance, "How did you learn to play the piano?" Answer: "So my dad was in a classical music club..." – Bob Forrest, Tempe Ariz.
“Tune in to any news channel and you’ll hear it. The word serves no purpose in the sentence and to me is like fingernails on a chalkboard. So, I submit the extra, meaningless, and overused word ‘so.’” – Scott Shackleton, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
“Politicians, especially, are using this word when asked a question and not answering said question. It is used by all parties in Canada's Federal election. – Karen Newton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
“Frequently used to begin a sentence, particularly in response to a question, this tiresome and grammatically incorrect replacement for "Like," or "Um," is even more irksome…It hurts my ears, every single time I hear it!" -- Thomas H. Weiss, Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
“So it's getting really annoying. So can we please put a stop to this?” -- David G. Simpson, Laurel, Md.
CONVERSATION
Online publications invite readers to “join the conversation.”
“Over the past five years or so, this word has been increasingly used by talking heads on radio, television and in political circles to describe every form of verbal communication known to mankind. It has replaced ‘discussion,’ ‘debate,’ ‘chat,’ ‘discourse,’ ‘argument,’ ‘lecture,’ ‘talk’….all of which can provide some context to the nature of the communication. Perhaps the users feel that it is a word that is least likely to offend people, but I consider it to be imprecise language that, over time, dumbs down the art of effective discourse.” – Richard Fry, Marathon, Ont.
“Used by every media type without exception. No one listens.” – Richard Seitz, Charleston, Ill.
“Have one, start one, engage in one. Enough.” – Fred Rogers, Houston, Tex.
PROBLEMATIC
Defined by the Urban Dictionary as “a corporate-academic weasel word.”
“Somewhere along the line, this word became a trendy replacement for 'that is a problem.’ I just hate it.” -- Sharon Martin, Hagerstown, Md.
“Anything that the speaker finds vaguely inconvenient or undesirable, such as an opposing political belief or bad traffic. Contrast things that are self-evidently taken to be problematic with, say, actual problems like a hole in the ozone layer or a job loss.” -- Adam Rosen, Asheville, N.C.
STAKEHOLDER
Used to describe someone with a stake in a situation or problem.
“Often used with ‘engagement.’ If someone is disengaged, they're not really a stakeholder in the first place. LSSU, please engage your stakeholders by adding this pretentious jargon to your list. -- Gwendolyn Barlow, Portland, Ore.
Harley Carter of Calgary, Alberta, says he has heard it with another word popular in business-speak, “socialize,” which means to spread an idea around to see what others think of it. “We need to socialize this concept with our ‘stakeholders.’”
“Dr. (Abraham) Van Helsing should be the only stake holder,” says Jeff Baenen of Minneapolis, Minn., referring to the character in “Dracula.”
PRICE POINT
Use of two words when one will do.
“This alliterative mutation seems to be replacing the word ‘price’ or ‘cost.’ It may be standard business-speak, but must it contaminate everyday speech?” says Kevin Carney of Chicago, who provided an example in the March 19, 2015 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, pg. 1171, which says, “Although the ‘price point’ of effective new drugs...may initially be out of reach for many patients...”
“It has no ‘point.’ It is just a ‘price.’” -- Guy Michael, Cherry Hill, N.J.
SECRET SAUCE
Usually used in a sentence explaining the ‘secret’ in excruciating public detail.
Is this a metaphor for business success based on the fast food industry?” -- John Beckett, Ann Arbor, Mich.
“It has become too frequent in business discussions. I am tired of it.” -- Bill Evans, Clinton, Miss.
BREAK THE INTERNET
A phrase used online
“An annoying bit of hyperbole about the latest saucy picture or controversy that is already becoming trite.” -- Tim Bednall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
“Meaning a post or video or whatever will have so much Internet traffic that it will ‘break the internet.’ It’s being used for every headline and video. Ridiculous.” -- Matthew Squires, Auburn, Mich.
“I hope the list doesn’t ‘break the internet.’ (How else would I read it next year)?” -- Dean Hinrichs, Kansas City, Mo.
WALK IT BACK
A slower back-pedal.
“It seems as if every politician who makes a statement has to ‘walk it back,’ meaning retract the statement, or explain it in laborious detail to the extent that the statement no longer has any validity or meaning once it has been ‘walked back.’” -- Max Hill, Killeen, Tex.
PRESSER
This shortened form of “press release” and “press conference.”
“Not only is there no intelligent connection between the word "presser" and its supposed meaning, this word already has a definition: a person or device that removes wrinkles. Let's either say ‘press conference’ or ‘press release’ or come up with something more original, intelligent and interesting!” – Constance Kelly, West Bloomfield, Mich.
“This industry buzzword has slipped into usage in news reporting and now that they have started, they can't seem to stop using it.” -- Richard W. Varney, Akron, Ohio.
MANSPREADING
A word used in urban areas, where seats on the bus or subway are sometimes difficult to find because men are spreading their legs and taking up space.
“Men don't need another disgusting-sounding word thrown into the vocabulary to describe something they do…You're just taking too much room on this train seat, be a little more polite...” – Carrie Hansen, Caledonia, Mich.
“The term itself is stupid, and the campaign and petition written by men's rights activists claiming that men need to take up more space due to their anatomy, and that anti-manspreading campaigns are ‘male-bashing,’ are ridiculous. The problem is with people taking up too much space on the subway or any public mode of transportation. – Beth, Anchorage, Alaska
VAPE
Used to describe the act of ‘smoking’ e-cigarettes since the products emit vapor instead of smoke.
David Ervin of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., says he hopes the word “goes up in smoke.”
GIVING ME LIFE
The phrase refers to anything that may excite a person, or something that causes one to laugh.
“I suggest banishing this hyperbole for over-use,” says Ana Robbins, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
PHYSICALITY
For sports fans.
John Kollig of Jamestown, N.Y., says this is overused by every sports broadcaster and writer.
“I am not sure who is responsible, but over the last 12-18 months you cannot watch a sporting event, listen to a sports talk show on radio, or anything on ESPN without someone using this term to attempt to describe an athlete or a contest.” -- Dan Beitzel, Perrysburg, Ohio
“Every time I hear them say it, I change the channel.” – Brenda Ruffing, Jackson, Mich.
“What the heck does it mean?” – Linda Pardy, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.