Since 1975 Lake Superior State University has published a list of overused, mis-used, or generally useless words for the year. This year those words are:
Gitmo Combined celebrity names Awesome Gone/went missing Pwn or pwned Now playing in theatres We're pregnant Undocumented alien Armed robbery/drug deal gone bad Truthiness Ask your doctor Chipotle i-anything Search Healthy food Boasts
What are yours?
January 01, 2007, 03:24
Richard English
"pants", meaning bad "wicked" meaning good "cool" meaning laudable
Richard English
January 01, 2007, 11:11
Kalleh
I agree about "wicked" meaning good. It always confuses me!
I read one today that I hear all the time, and wonder why they just can't say "killed":
"Took the life of"
January 01, 2007, 12:16
zmježd
Chipotle
What is wrong with chipotle? It's a wicked cool word. Use it all the time. But seriously, what would you call a chipotle? Smoke-dried jalapeño chili just doesn't quite do it for me. I'd never heard of pants meaning bad or below par, but I see it's a UK term. Funny that.
—Ceci n'est pas un seing.
January 01, 2007, 12:35
Seanahan
I first heard wicked meaning "good" probably about 12 years ago, although it seems to have died down.
January 01, 2007, 12:41
Seanahan
What exactly is the problem with Gitmo, and why is it this year it has been added to the list? I probably first heard the term in "A Few Good Men", but I have heard it many times since then.
January 01, 2007, 12:47
BobHale
Never heard "gitmo". Only ever encountered "pwn" on this site. Never heard "undocumented alien". Never heard "truthiness"". Never heard "chipotle" Never heard anyone say "we're pregnant". Don't understand what's wrong with most of the others.
I agree that awesome, combined celebrity names and i-anything are overused.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
January 03, 2007, 07:40
goofy
I don't have a list of overused or useless words because I love all words.
I mean "chipotle", "search", "boasts", "awesome"? "Ask your doctor"? Most of these are completely normal words.This message has been edited. Last edited by: goofy, January 03, 2007 07:49
January 04, 2007, 02:17
Richard English
quote:
Never heard "gitmo".
Proably because we all know how to spell "Guantanamo Bay".
Richard English
January 04, 2007, 13:21
TrossL
"Ask your doctor" is totally overused here in America. Every other commercial is for some sort of diet-aid, food plan, excersise equipment, gym membership,brand new prescription drug, etc and they ALL end with, "Ask your doctor before starting any... blah, blah blah..."
The overused words in the school I work in are "Yo" and "Bee-yahtch". They're often used together. I guess this is supposed to be the quieter, gentler way to call someone out.
January 04, 2007, 13:36
missann
quote:
wonder why they just can't say "killed":
"Took the life of"
In a similar vein, why can't we just say someone died instead of "passed on,"or worse yet, "passed." Th latter sounds like he was taking an exam.
January 04, 2007, 13:41
missann
quote:
went missing
The term "went extinct" particularly bothers me, especially when said by a scientist who should know better. It sounds as though the animal made a conscious decision to become extinct. Extinction is a passive event.