I always look forward to the release of Lake Superior State University's annual banished words list.
That's because since I was a kid, I've had a love-hate relationship with words. Back then, I remember such innocent-sounding terms as "nostril" sending me into a teeth-gnashing rage. ("Gnash" would've had the same effect).
No particular reason; I just thought certain words sounded stupid. It was probably just a foreshadowing of my eventual persnickety temperament.
Growing up in Texas, a word often fell into disfavor after I heard it pronounced with an exaggerated southern drawl.
Did I feed the dawg today? Go the beach and pick up shayells? Want something to draynk?
Sometimes, the words spoken by a fellow Texan would sound so garbled that I'd have to ask the speaker to repeat them. For a tightly wired type-A personality like me, it was irritating.
So even though it doesn't address pronunciation, the LSSU's word-banishing list is completely up my alley. It always gets me thinking about words and phrases - as well as grammatical and punctuation liberties - that raise my hackles.
Here are a few additional picks from the Mama Bear.
Discombobulated. This word falls into my "sounds stupid" category. It drudges up visions that include dismemberment or taking a dump.
Making. A. Point. By. Separating. Words. With. Periods. Clever the first few times I saw it but tiresome and irritating now.
OMG makes the list, too. It's the middle school teacher in me, I suppose.
Fricking, as well as its inbred cousin, Freaking. If you're going to use the "f" word, might as well go for the gold.
What about you? Are you as anal as me? Any words or phrases you'd like to see take their leave?
Hmm...anal. Add that to my list.
3 comments:
I am all for banishing the word 'should' from the world. It's guilt inducing, condescending, and makes me mad. That being said, I do use it a lot...so now I am thinking...SHOULD we really banish this word?
We are complete opposite when it comes to grammar. I guess because you are an English major and I am a Math major. I love the word Discombobulated. Even if I can't spell it. I also like Fricking, although my mom yells at me every time I say it. My favorite word in the English language is Befuttled (I do not know if I spelled it correctly). I was told by a reliable source that it means, "when you can't find your ass with both hands".
I am with you on the OMG. I don't like the phrase. And I need some help with LOL. I don't know what it means and have been too embarassed to ask.
What you don't like OMG.. I have to say I use it allot.. Guess I should stop since it's on the list :( Will change it to OMW
As for LOL... Laughing out Loud.. it took me a bit to figure out some of these.. Like DS DH and stuff like that.. I do use LOL and all the other abrev. allot... Is LOL banned too?
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