Posted on 01/01/2015 8:09:19 AM PST by Brother Cracker
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.,- A Michigan university said its 40th annual list of "banished" words includes "bae," "polar vortex," "hack," "skill set," "swag," and "foodie."
Lake Superior State University said its annual "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness" was chosen by members of a committee from submissions by the public.
Topping the list this year was "bae," a term of endearment that came into common use this year. "Meaning 'before anyone else.' How stupid! Stop calling your boyfriend 'bae,'" Evie Dunagan of Manheim, Pa., wrote in submitting the word for banishment.
LSSU said it got a head start on banishing the word "Polar Vortex" in the spring, when students "burned" a snowman named "Mr. Polar Vortex."
The school said the word "hack" was banished for "over-use and misuse" stemming from the popularity of tips and tricks dubbed "life hacks."
"Suddenly things that once would have been called 'tips' are now being called 'hacks.' It can't be because the one word is shorter or easier to say; and the actual accepted meanings of 'hack' have nothing to do with suggestions for doing tasks better or more efficiently -- quite the opposite, really," wrote submitter Sharla Hulsey of Sac City, Iowa.
The school said it is finally adding "swag" to the list after receiving numerous nominations during the past few years.
Other words making this year's list include "skill set," "foodie," "curate," "friend-raising," "cra-cra," "enhanced interrogation," "takeaway," and "nation" used as a suffix by sports fans.
Thank you....I think ;-)
Your explanation does suggest a certain mushiness in the phrase itself, and on the part of those who mindlessly repeat these things - usually after hearing them in some pop-culture context.
Everything gets started somewhere, and it’s an interesting study. From my generation: when did girls start saying that a young man was “cute”; when did we start calling things “cool”; where did “nifty” come from?
Words and fashions in language are fascinating.
JT -
I was always partial to Alberta Clipper.
Polar Vortex is gay as hell.
Basically
“That said”...stop it already.
“Bae”: When the word “baby” is too difficult for the welfare dependent, sucker punching, unable-to-wear-hats-and-pants-correctly community.
This is interesting to me.
I’m aware that a lot of people don’t know the difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’. But I noticed as long ago as the early ‘nineties, when I first got onto the Internet, that there’s an odd tendency to make errors in homonyms when typing/communicating by computer - errors that one would never make with pencil and paper.
All I can think is that there is a different neurological ‘thing’ going on, when we communicate this way, than when we write.
I also think that something similar happens with cell-phone usage while driving. Something very different is going on there, than when someone is simply talking to a passenger who is actually in the car. I’ve almost been killed several times, by people driving while cell-phoning - not even including near misses when people were texting.
-JT
Re; misused words; I get the strong impression that most public school systems since the 1990s have purposely de-emphasized the need for teaching proper english and basic grammar to the K through 12s. At the very least, there is far LESS TENDENCY TO CORRECT THE STUDENT. I don’t know why, maybe they think poor self esteem can be too easily explained by “racist teachers!”, so everybody tip-toes around the dropped consonants, dropped ‘G’s and all those dangling participles too.
Re; Texting while driving; I’m just waiting for some city ordinance that will mandate only selling cell phones that are made to stop working while inside of a moving vehicle. I think that is the only way to really stop texting while driving. Many adults are already worse than the teens!
I agree regarding educational standards; but I still think there’s some sort of brain-function difference, between typing/posting on Internet, and actually writing on paper - or even typing on paper. Maybe somebody will do a study.
As a near-escapee of numerous traffic accidents, I look forward to the implementation of your ‘invention’ and ordinance. It’s even scarier when you live someplace where a lot of the drivers are illegals, and probably didn’t go through any kind of driver education, or even have insurance..so many people today don’t even know the rules of the road, right-of-way, rules about blocking intersections, etc.
-JT
Also “just saying”....
My nominee for 2015:
“Microaggression”.
No lol is that right? I just thought bae was ebonics for babe
Swags are window coverings and have been around for YEARS.
These people must be insane.
http://www.plowhearth.com/grayson-floral-duchess-swag.htm?aff=6443&gclid=CKbn3qms9MICFZPm7Aodul4A8Q
.
“Swag” is an internet slang term often found in comments, discussion forums and image macros used as a synonym for “swagger,” a type of style or presence that exudes confidence and is sometimes interpreted as arrogance.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/swag
I always thought swag was stolen stuff(Goodfellas)
Are you referring to the swag alone at the top of the window?
That was a common way of decorating a window, back in days when people needed as much natural light coming in as possible...
-JT
“Are you referring to the swag alone at the top of the window?”
Yes,and they are still used by many.
I have a couple and some of my kids have them.
.
I’ve always liked it; it goes along with a rustic or Early American style, which I prefer.
-JT
Have “teaching moment” and “positive good” been banned yet?
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