Words "viral" and "epic" consigned to college trash

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BOSTON (Reuters) – This story might be epic, and could even go viral, but not if Lake Superior State University has anything to do with it. Just sayin.'


The small college in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, released on Friday its annual list of "banished words" -- terms so overused, misused and hackneyed they deserve to be sent to a permanent linguistic trash can in the year ahead.
"Viral," often used to describe the rapid spreading of videos or other content over the Internet, leads the list for 2011.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101231/od_nm/us_banished_words
 
So, Lake Surperior State University has shared words/terms that should be banished. Frankly, I think they have made an epic error in such research and it disturbs me that such information has gone viral on the internet. I would have Googled the rest of the words held in such disdain, but having experienced an a-ha moment of not caring stopped me. The obvious back story is some people have too much time on their hands and I know if I asked some of my BFF on Facebook, they'd agree.

As a Mamma Grizzlie, I take exception that it has been decided what words should/or not be used by my own. Lake Superior State University should man up and share this opinion poll was just that. Opinions from bored people with nothing better to do than be critical of the English language no matter how it's used.

BBL. LOL. Have more uber important things to do. :D
 
So, Lake Surperior State University has shared words/terms that should be banished. Frankly, I think they have made an epic error in such research and it disturbs me that such information has gone viral on the internet. I would have Googled the rest of the words held in such disdain, but having experienced an a-ha moment of not caring stopped me. The obvious back story is some people have too much time on their hands and I know if I asked some of my BFF on Facebook, they'd agree.

As a Mamma Grizzlie, I take exception that it has been decided what words should/or not be used by my own. Lake Superior State University should man up and share this opinion poll was just that. Opinions from bored people with nothing better to do than be critical of the English language no matter how it's used.

BBL. LOL. Have more uber important things to do. :D

OK, that was impressive, LOL!!!!!! :floorlaugh:
 
BOSTON (Reuters) – This story might be epic, and could even go viral, but not if Lake Superior State University has anything to do with it. Just sayin.'


The small college in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, released on Friday its annual list of "banished words" -- terms so overused, misused and hackneyed they deserve to be sent to a permanent linguistic trash can in the year ahead.
"Viral," often used to describe the rapid spreading of videos or other content over the Internet, leads the list for 2011.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101231/od_nm/us_banished_words

I'm still looking for the list that includes LSSU as an important cultural or academic influence, but never mind that now.

Me thinks the list has lost sight of its purpose.

It originally became famous for quite rightly condemning "at this point in time" as cumbersome and pretentious when compared to the perfectly adequate, 3-letter "now".

But look at this year's list.

Why is "wow factor" better or worse than "charisma," "panache" or "eclat"? One suspects these words had to be imported from Spanish and French because the English were too dull to have their own words for people, places or things that cause one's stiff upper lip to quiver. Finally, English has its own term to celebrate style.

Why is "a-ha moment" inferior to "epiphany"? And wouldn't theologians like to have "epiphany" back?

Why is "back story" more trite than "exposition"? Liberal arts students should know both terms, but I see no inherent reason why one need be discarded. And regardless of what LSSU thinks, Hollywood has already established "back story" as the term of choice and I'm afraid the USC Film School has a lot more influence than a minor state college within a stone's throw of--WAIT! I MEAN near Canada.

I'll concede the point on "BFF" (on the grounds that it is rarely used to refer to anyone's "best" and such friendships are almost certainly not "forever.") But it's the sort of slang that will be "uncool" with a year or two.

(ETA as I used to tell my college students, an educated person should know the difference between formal and informal language, and should be able to use both, depending on social context. It's fine to encourage the use of a varied vocabulary because it is more pleasing to the eye and ear, but for a number of philosophical reasons, no university should be in the business of "banishing" words, not even in jest.)
 
I certainly cant quibble with most of the choices on the list .
It would be nice to be given a break from the smugly self aggrandizing ones such as 'Mama Grizzly' and 'Man Up' that have been driven into the ground .
I could live without ever hearing 'Fail' again or some Bloviating moron exhorting everyone to get on board with their agenda because its what 'The American People' want as if they and they alone speak for them.
BFF really needs a rest as well.
 
I must be behind the times because I've never heard Mama Grizzly.
 
I certainly cant quibble with most of the choices on the list .
It would be nice to be given a break from the smugly self aggrandizing ones such as 'Mama Grizzly' and 'Man Up' that have been driven into the ground .
I could live without ever hearing 'Fail' again or some Bloviating moron exhorting everyone to get on board with their agenda because its what 'The American People' want as if they and they alone speak for them.
BFF really needs a rest as well.

Okay, I'll give you "man up" as long as I can keep using "cowboy up". I mean, if it's good enough for Annie Proulx (see "Brokeback Mountain"), it ought to be good enough for LSSU!

:)
 
Okay, I'll give you "man up" as long as I can keep using "cowboy up". I mean, if it's good enough for Annie Proulx (see "Brokeback Mountain"), it ought to be good enough for LSSU!

:)
Hah! Actually Nova.Im a hypocrite because I use the phrase'cowboy up' all the time here in Idaho.
It reminds me of how annoying I thought Sarah Palin's overuse of 'You Betcha' was as a catchphrase .....until I realized I use it about 800 times a day compulsively as a subsitute for 'Your Welcome'....
 
Hah! Actually Nova.Im a hypocrite because I use the phrase'cowboy up' all the time here in Idaho.
It reminds me of how annoying I thought Sarah Palin's overuse of 'You Betcha' was as a catchphrase .....until I realized I use it about 800 times a day compulsively as a subsitute for 'Your Welcome'....

I promise you that saying "cowboy up" is more fun here in Southern Cal where most of the cowboys are fake.

We all have expressions we overuse. In everyday speech, I don't see the problem. I'm sure the university wants to encourage variety in writing.

To me, the test is whether the the language in question communicates better or worse (or the same). "You betcha" communicates the same as "yes," but it also indicates a willing attitude. Good for you; I'm sure your friends and neighbors appreciate it. "At this point in time" is an attempt to make one's remarks sound fancier than they are. There's no excuse for that.

I know the mods don't want a Sarah Palin debate here, but I think the complaints in that quarter weren't really about her use of informal language, but her demonstrated lack of formal or complex thinking. (For the record, I'm not saying I think she is stupid. I think she marketed herself in a certain way and, obviously, a lot of people like that.)
 

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