LSSU Banished Words, 2006

[Benjamin Zimmer]

It's that time of year again... Lake Superior State University's list
of banished words for 2006 has hit the news wires:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051231/us_nm/life_cliches_dc_2
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060101/ap_on_fe_st/banned_words_2

Here is the complete list from LSSU's site:

-----
http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php

Lake Superior State University 2006 List of Banished Words

SURREAL – One part opiate of the masses, 13 parts overuse. Oddly, news
anchor and television small talk is becoming more surreal. "Dreams are
surreal, not daily adjectives." – Tracy from Murray, Ky.

HUNKER DOWN – To brace oneself, in anticipation of media onslaught.
Trotted out in reports about everything from politics to hurricanes.
"I have a hankering to ban all of this hunkering." – Kate Rabe
Forgach, Fort Collins, Colo.

PERSON OF INTEREST – Found within the context of legal commentary, but
seldom encountered at cocktail parties. "People with guns want to talk
with you." – Melissa Carroll from Greensboro, NC. "Does this mean the
rest of us are too boring to deal with?" – Patricia Johnson from
Mechanicsville, Va.

COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS – A five-dollar phrase on a nickel-errand.
Value-added into many higher education mission statements. "Not to be
confused with 'school.'" – Jim Howard from Mishawa, Ind.

UP OR DOWN VOTE – A casualty of today's partisanship. No discussion on
this one; the committee just tossed a coin. "I see a bright future for
ex-senators as elevator operators." — Allan Dregseth, Fargo, ND.

BREAKING NEWS – Once it stopped presses. Now it's a lower-intestinal
condition brought about by eating dinner during newscasts. "Now they
have to interrupt my supper to tell me that Katie Holmes is pregnant."
— Michael Raczko, Swanton, Ohio.

DESIGNER BREED – Many nominators consider this a bastardization of dog
breeding. It may be a good line to use on angry neighbors when an
un-neutered dog escapes. "When you mate a miniature schnauzer to a toy
poodle, it's not a 'Schnoodle,' it's a mongrel." – George Bullerjahn,
Bowling Green, Ohio.

FEMA – Dedicated to the memory of a great federal agency consigned to
the ash heap of parody. "If they don't do anything, we don't need
their acronym." – Josh Hamilton, Tucson, Ariz.

FIRST-TIME CALLER – Preamble often heard on talk radio. "I am serious
in asking: who in any universe gives a care?" – Miguel McCormick,
Orlando, Fla.

PASS THE SAVINGS ON TO YOU! – Marketing catch phrase that became a
lost-leader long ago. "Read: Pass the markup along to you." – C. W.
Estes, Roanoke, Tex.

97% FAT FREE – Adventures in delusion. "Still has 3% fat . . . accept
it." – Andrew Clucas, Canberra, Australia.

AN ACCIDENT THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN – Best-laid mayhem. "This means
some accidents need to happen, for whatever reason, I can't figure." —
Thomas Price, Orlando, Fla.

JUNK SCIENCE – Banished from the Marketplace of Ideas. "It's not
scientists who are using this phrase so much as the people who
practice junk politics." – Ron LaLonde, Inuvik, Northwest Territories,
Canada.

GIT-ER-DONE – (Any of its variations) It's overdone. "There's no
escaping it. It's everywhere, from TV to T-shirts," says Amanda
Tikkanen of LaGrange, Ind. "Please tell me when we're done with this
one."

DAWG – No designer breed here. Someone should wash out this Spot.
"Even parents are starting to use it!" – complains Mrs. Swartz's Fifth
Grade Class in Church Road, Va. "This is species confusion." – Rob
Bowers, Santa Clara, Calif. "Don't call me 'dawg'! I'm not your pet!"
– Michael Swartz, Albuquerque, NM.

TALKING POINTS – Cover your ears! "Topics which will please those you
want to impress." – Michele Mooney, Van Nuys, Calif. Joe Wonsetler of
Swanton, Ohio, believes the phrase was created after PR staffers
stopped attending seminars on how to put a positive 'spin' on their
press releases.

HOLIDAY TREE – Many salvoes were fired during this past season's "war
on Christmas." At the risk of jumping into the breach, the committee
feels that "Holiday tree" is a silly name for what most folks hold as
a Christmas tree, no matter your preference of religion. Thank
goodness we all agree on the first day of winter.
-----