Banned Words of 2010

Every year, Lake Superior State University publishes a list of overused words that should be banned:

Word "czars" at Lake Superior State University "unfriended" 15 words and phrases and declared them "shovel-ready" for inclusion on the university's 35th annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.

"The list this year is a 'teachable moment' conducted free of 'tweets,'" said a Word Banishment spokesman who was "chillaxin'" for the holidays. "'In these economic times', purging our language of 'toxic assets' is a 'stimulus' effort that's 'too big to fail.'"

Former LSSU Public Relations Director Bill Rabe and friends created "word banishment" in 1975 at a New Year's Eve party and released the first list on New Year's Day. Since then, LSSU has received tens of thousands of nominations for the list, which includes words and phrases from marketing, media, education, technology and more.

Word-watchers may check the alphabetical "complete list" on the website before making their submissions.

Here are the 35th annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselesness:

  • Shovel-ready
  • Transparent/Transparency
  • Czar
  • Tweet
  • App
  • Sexting
  • Friend as a verb
  • Teachable moment
  • In these economic times ...
  • Stimulus
  • Toxic assets
  • Too big to fail
  • Bromance
  • Chillaxin'
  • Obama-prefix or roots

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I am curious, what is it about these 15 words that make us want to ban them? Is it because they have no concrete meaning to us or that some have been used so often that their meaning has been altered?
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IT'S NOT THE WORDS WE HAVE SUCH DISTASTE FOR, MANY OF THEM ARE QUITE CLEAVER. IT'S THE WAY UNORIGINAL PEOPLE SPEW THEM LIKE WORD VOMIT, TRYING TO IMPLY WITT, THAT MAKES THEIR FLAVOR SEEM STALE.
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Word that is in desperate need to come back: 'Rad'. Just for a little while. Maybe just a few months. I would be so pleased if Rad were placed on this list next year.
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