The Ottumwa Courier

Community News Network

December 31, 2012

What words are up for banishment this year?

SAULT St. MARIE, Mi. — By the time you read this, chances are you're tired of hearing about the "fiscal cliff." The same can likely be said of talk about "job creators," or "job creation."

And the phrase "spoiler alert" has, well, spoiled.

Each year Lake Superior State University releases a list of words and phrases it would like to see banned from the English language. They're overused and parroted to the point of meaninglessness. Every celebrity has some cause about which they are "passionate," as they're more than happy to tell you.

Granted, no one has the ability to simply ban words or phrases from the language. Languages depend on the people using them and, so long as people use the terms, they'll stay right where they are.

Need proof? "Disenfranchise," "brainstorm," "functionality," and "infommercial," all nominees for banishment from the 2002 list, are still common currency in speech today.

You can read this year's list by clicking here. Prior lists dating back to 1976 are available here.

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