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University publishes 15 words we <3 to hate for 2009
arstechnica.com ^ | January 01, 2009 - 08:00AM CT | David Chartier

Posted on 01/01/2009 7:01:36 AM PST by martin_fierro

University publishes 15 words we <3 to hate for 2009

By David Chartier | Published: January 01, 2009 - 08:00AM CT

Just in time for the new year, Lake Superior State University has delivered on its decades-old tradition of publishing a "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness." The annual, jocular list began in 1976, with words and phrases like "meaningful" (which lost all of its meaningfulness at the time) and "call for resignation" as a publicity stunt to promote the university's existence. Since then it has grown into a crowdsourced list of the latest clichés to have been birthed from pop culture, and even text speech made this list of words we "<3" to hate for 2009.

For 2009, the words unofficially banned from our vernacular and publications revolve around environmental, economic, current events, and entertainment topics. We are apparently no longer allowed to "go green" or measure our "carbon footprint," according to Ed Hardiman of Bristow, Va., who qualified his vote in his submission: "If I see one more corporation declare itself 'green,' I'm going to start burning tires in my backyard."

Continuing down the catch-phrase hit list, any "maverick" who thinks he is a "game changer"—or who's vain enough to shoot for "iconic"—will surely get booted from both "wall street" and "main street" alike. "You know it's time to banish this word," said Scott Urbanowski of Kentwood, Mich., "when even the Maverick family, who descended from the rancher who inspired the term, says it's being mis-used."

Perhaps displaying the need to embark on a "desperate search" for words to ban, even emoticons like "<3" were apparently overused in 2008 (but seriously: is it actually possible to have too much <3 in one's life?). There will also be no "bailout" for those who cannot stop tacking "monkey" onto words in an attempt make them sound... something-er. Fortunately, other related and fundamental (and undoubtedly crucial) words in 2008—such as "economy"—did not make Lake Superior State's list this year.

Rounding out the list are more inane terms and phrases, such as "first dude," "staycation," "not so much," and "it's that time of year again." Participants were also tired of hearing about the potential for awards, as even "winner of five nominations" actually, erm, won an award.

If you want "more bang for the buck," you can flip through the pages of Lake Superior State's "online," "state of the art" archive for each year back to 1976 for a trip down memory lane that should "shock and awe" you.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Society
KEYWORDS: cliches; language; topten; words
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1 posted on 01/01/2009 7:01:37 AM PST by martin_fierro
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To: xsmommy

Overused WFTD Ping.


2 posted on 01/01/2009 7:02:59 AM PST by martin_fierro (Rest in Peace, Marshall T.)
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To: martin_fierro
"If I see one more corporation declare itself 'green,' I'm going to start burning tires in my backyard."

Expect a smoke pyre - it usually takes big insurance companies three to five extra years to start adopting popular business fads and I'm sure there are other archaic industries that will be late to Uncle Al's party. ;)

3 posted on 01/01/2009 7:04:31 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("One man's 'magic' is another man's engineering. 'Supernatural' is a null word." -- Robert Heinlein)
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To: martin_fierro

That certainly had me “energized”. I imagine it had “dozens” and “scores” of votes. But it will all be sorted out at “the end of the day”.


4 posted on 01/01/2009 7:06:27 AM PST by pfflier
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To: martin_fierro

Hmm...”hope” and “change” are not on the list.

Guess they aren’t tired of those overused words...


5 posted on 01/01/2009 7:07:25 AM PST by NeoConfederate
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To: pfflier
Ɛ> "It is what it is." <3
6 posted on 01/01/2009 7:07:43 AM PST by martin_fierro (Rest in Peace, Marshall T.)
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To: martin_fierro

When people say, “However, comma....”


7 posted on 01/01/2009 7:08:14 AM PST by Lizavetta
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To: martin_fierro
but seriously: is it actually possible to have too much <3 in one's life?

It's not possible to have too many large-breasted women in your life. Or does that emoticon mean something else?

8 posted on 01/01/2009 7:08:42 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (We used to institutionalize the insane. Now we elect them.)
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To: Lizavetta

Period. End of paragraph.


9 posted on 01/01/2009 7:09:22 AM PST by martin_fierro (Rest in Peace, Marshall T.)
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To: Mr. Jeeves

Making an already-unwatchable Halftime show ever moreso.

10 posted on 01/01/2009 7:14:04 AM PST by martin_fierro (Rest in Peace, Marshall T.)
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To: martin_fierro

They forgot; “CLIMATE CHANGE”. (I hate that term.)


11 posted on 01/01/2009 7:14:10 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP (WHAT? Where did my tag line go?)
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To: martin_fierro

i <3 u : )


12 posted on 01/01/2009 7:14:54 AM PST by xsmommy
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To: martin_fierro

Could someone define: “<3”


13 posted on 01/01/2009 7:19:15 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are NOT stupid)
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To: wintertime

2.


14 posted on 01/01/2009 7:20:33 AM PST by martin_fierro (Rest in Peace, Marshall T.)
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To: martin_fierro

I hear CorpSpeak all day at work until I am ready to “pull my hair out.”

“Just wanted to touch base with you...”

“Playing phone tag...”(especially when someone leaves a message with the coy “tell him, TAG, you’re IT!”)

“We’re toast...”

And all sports metaphors such as:

“the whole nine yards”
“take the ball and run with it”
“we need to punt”
“through the posts”


15 posted on 01/01/2009 7:21:29 AM PST by AnnGora (I am unique. Just like everybody else.)
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To: wintertime

<3 is the “sideways” heart for love / love to hate. Just like the :-) sideways smiles.


16 posted on 01/01/2009 7:23:14 AM PST by Arrowhead1952 (The main stream media lied - America died.)
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To: martin_fierro

Ugh, I forgot about that one.


17 posted on 01/01/2009 7:26:30 AM PST by Lizavetta
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To: Arrowhead1952

Very cute!!! :-)


18 posted on 01/01/2009 7:35:01 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are NOT stupid)
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To: martin_fierro
"Making an already-unwatchable Halftime show ever moreso."

That was when I turned on every light in the house, and turned off the TV. That dammed stunt was so stupid, it bordered on sick.

19 posted on 01/01/2009 7:41:54 AM PST by KoRn
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To: AnnGora
"I hear CorpSpeak all day at work until I am ready to “pull my hair out.”"

Oh don't I know it! 'Corpspeak' makes me physically ill. When I'm talking to some empty headed, usually a management type, person that uses more than a couple of those phrases and or buzzwords in a sentence I totally want to puke. Most of the time I just pretend they are a lamp or something and tune them out. Where I work, they are wanting to have a major initiative to "Go Green" this year.... /cry

It's going to be a long year....

20 posted on 01/01/2009 7:48:02 AM PST by KoRn
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