2012 Banished Words

The 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness is out. I love it because it is a reminder of how badly the English language has been and is mutilated by the endless and boring communication devices and sites that make me scream for mercy every time I hear the nonsense propagated as English. The list is complied by a university in Michigan's, Lake Superior State University, and is based on nominations submitted from the United States, Canada and beyond. It's not hard to find agreement on what should be on the list, given that the internet and cell phone chatter repeats the latest nonsensical trendy expression over and over each day.

Nominations used to come by mail, then fax machines and then from the school's web site. But now most come through the university's Face book page. Face book....sigh... That's fitting, since social media has helped to create the mindless ;parroting of the words and to keep them alive longer than they should. Here are the 12 most annoying and overused words and phrases of 2012. Let's hope we will hear or read them only sparingly this coming year.

1) fiscal cliff- This is the number one overused phrase and is parroted by the media to describe the economic problems the U.S. government has with too much debt, too little taxes to pay for it and too much willingness of the politicians to allow the problem to cause the U.S. to go into bankruptcy by not fixing the debt problem.

2) kick the can down the road- to procrastinate in fixing problems, as in how the government kicks the 'fiscal cliff' problem 'down the road'.

3) double down- is to engage in risky behavior, especially when one is already in a dangerous situation. I think we used to call that 'double trouble'

4) job creators/creation- The 'job creators' are those we used to call the wealthy, but those who rename them job creators means they deserve not to be taxed since they say that they need all their money to create jobs for we peons.

5) passion/passionate- Turn on a TV commercial these days and every company will say that it is passionate that they make the product they want you to buy. This means that
because of their passion they are overcharging you for that piece of junk you buy from them

6) YOLO- 'You only live once' (and if you use these words too much you deserve to die many times).

7) spoiler alert- It's the. "I am going to tell you what happened in that movie tv show or book before you see it to ruin it for you."

8) bucket list- Your bucket list is what you want to do before you die. Please add to your bucket list that you want to not use any of these words when communicating with me or I may kill myself before I finish completing my own 'bucket list'.

9) trending- A trend is something temporary, a noun. Even though it is not a verb the news mediums keep calling some of the subjects of their broadcasts 'trending'

10) superfood- The 'superfood' is whatever trendy, awful tasting mess a celebrity swears makes him or her healthy, wealthy and wise. The only thing worse than that stupidity is if one of the suppressed purveyors ads tofu to the list.

11) boneless wings- These are white meat chicken pieces that have no bones when served. Didn't they just used to call them 'chicken strips'?

12) guru- A 'guru' is the guy who thinks he knows everything and imparts what little he knows with great effect and no substance whatsoever. In other words, I am a guru.

If you think one or more of these words or phrases deserves to be taken off the list go for it and use them. After all, YOLO!