phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

The Phrase Finder
Phrases, Sayings and Idioms Home > Discussion Forum

- We are also on

 & Follow aphraseaweek on Twitter

Re: Banished Words

Posted by Wordy Camel on January 26, 2002

In Reply to: Re: Banished Words posted by ESC on January 26, 2002

: : : : Lake Superior State University released its 27th annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness.The compilation draws from hundreds of nominations received from all over the world by mail and through the Internet.

: : : : LSSU forms a committee in December to review the year's entries and decide which of them will be included on the list. Word-watchers pull nominations from everyday speech, as well as from the news, fields of education, technology, advertising, politics, and more.

: : : : See link below.

: : : Bruce,

: : : Lovely stuff. I'll be there with some nominations next year. Getting in early with my own pet hates - 'hot temperatures', 'cheap prices' etc. I winch to even type them.

: : : Gratifying to this old Brit that Lake Superior State University advocates the Queen's English.

: : : Gary

: : As a medical doctor, 'skin rash' and 'dead body' spring to my mind!

: Continuing along the medical theme, how about the overused journalistic phrase: "...lost his brave battle with cancer." The Onion, a satirical newspaper, had a headline saying someone, "...Lost His Cowardly Battle with Cancer." Another journalistic cliche, "grim task," referring to cleanup/body recovery after a disaster.

From my time in an Internet design firm I would like to add the following:

1) "Transition" used as a verb. "We are going to transition you to the green team."
2) "Reactionary" used in bizarre ways. "Jenny was like really reactionary when I told her I was leaving."
3) "Speak to" instead of "respond to" or "address". "Josh can speak to that point"

We could also like, banish "like", you know?