Some Words Hear "You're Fired!"

ABC News has declared bloggers People of the Year, and Merriam-Webster declared "blog" Word of the Year, but a committee at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie has declared "blog" to be among the 22 expressions on the List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. From among 2000 words submitted, only 22 made the cut. Among the expressions on the list are "blog,""sale event,""body wash" and "zero percent APR financing."

"We're uber-serious about this list," said committee organizer Tom Pink, referring to the German prefix meaning "over" or "super" that increasingly finds its way into English.

John Shibley, co-compiler of the list said, "People talk back to their TVs, radios, computers, etc., when words and phrases make them angry or frustrated," he said. "Diminishing 'word-rage' makes the world a more peaceful place." Shibley said the Lake Superior State group compiles the list in the spirit of fun, and going through old lists can be "like coming across a lost script from an Austin Powers movie."

Well, that explains it. Bloggers are not PC because we make people angry or frustrated. If I've made anyone angry or frustrated by what they've read here, I consider that I've done my job. I've made them think about something instead of going along with what "everyone" else thinks. Think for yourself!

"Language changes, and you cannot stop it. It's just like any other part of human culture," said Wayne Glowka, an English professor at Georgia College & State University who heads the American Dialect Society's new word committee. ADS has also chosen a list of words, which will not be published until after their meeting on January 7th. You can view past lists here.

Here is the Sault Ste Marie list (clicking on the link will take you to the reasons behind the inclusion):

Blue States/Red States
Flip Flop/Flip Flopper/ Flip Flopping
Battleground State
"... And I approve this message"
Pockets of Resistance
Improvised Explosive Device
Enemy Combatant
Carbs
You're Fired!
"Izzle" speak
Wardrobe Malfunction
Blog - in all it's forms
Webinar
Zero Percent APR financing
Safe and Effective
Erectile Dysfunction
Journey
Body Wash
Sale Event
All New
And More!

I say here! here! on the Red State/Blue State thing. It's divisive when constantly used. If you look at a county map of the election, you'll see that not a single state was solidly red or blue. In the case of blue states, it was larger metropolitan areas such as New York City that made New York a blue state. Why can't we all get along?

"...And I approve this message." I understand why it came about. So that someone can't put out a negative or completely false ad and the candidate claim no responsibility to it. It lends some credence when the candidate's voice is heard to approve the ad. Ads can't be published or aired without the disclaimer, but can't there be another way of approving it without this annoying line?

Safe and Effective? I suppose something can be effective but not safe, a bullet, for example.

Body Wash? Is that like a car wash? ewwwwwww! I can see the line at the local body wash location - bodies of all shapes and sizes waiting in line. Do they supply their own towels and soap or can they purchase soap when they get there? And it gives new meaning to a "wax job."

Enemy Combatant? If I'm fighting someone to the death, it's probably not a friend, so it would be an enemy, I would think.

I'd like to hear "Hell---lo!" removed removed from public speech except when used as a greeting. When it's used to question why someone said or thought such a stupid thing, is, in my humble opinion demeaning. There are better ways of telling someone they are an idiot than making them look foolish or stupid. No, I'm not being PC, I just don't like making someone mad at me by making them look stupid. When someone is mad at me, they are not receptive to hearing the truth about what they've said.

Another is "undocumented alien." I've gone over this before, in length. They are undocumented because they are here illegally. It makes no difference whether they are from Mexico, Canada, Haiti, Cuba, Iraq, or Mars. If they don't have the proper paperwork, they are here illegally.

What words or phrases would you like to see banished from the English language?