#BannedWords: what makes the list?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 3:59PM 
So, think forward to that joyous time when the revolution comes and your people carry you aloft to rule on high. After settling into your new role you decide to make some changes, “hmm, where to start?” you ponder while absentmindedly checking Twitter: then you see it. “Interwebs? Interwebs! What, in the name of all that is holy, is that?” ... your scribe is called for and so begins your list of banned words.
I have long been passionate about language, and especially the psychology behind why one person loves a certain word and uses it all the time, while to another it is like nails down a blackboard. So, I wondered, what would you decree as banned words when the revolution comes?
To start you off, how about ‘rents, Meh and netizen?
Add a comment below with your #bannedwords
Mark Jennings
What a great response, some of my favourites:
- 'Chill', 'chill out', 'chilling' or, worse, 'chillax'
- 'Chav', 'ned', etc: If you wouldn't use crude, lazy terminology to discriminate based on gender or race don't do it based on class.
- 'Lolz', 'meh', 'nomnomnom', etc: As hideously immersed in digital culture as I am I bloody hate internet speak. You're not 12, you're an adult. Stop it. Now.
- Diarise
- LOL/LOLZ - I really worry one day I'm going to say it in the place of actual laughter.
- NOM NOM - If you may a noise like nom, nom whilst you're eating then you're a pig and deserve no food.
- Transmedia - it seems to have been invented with the sole purpose of adding a layer of superiority to any sentence it graces.
- Maven - The use of the word 'maven' should be a sackable offence and I also find 'sentiment' and 'amplification' in certain contexts make me irrationally annoyed. Grrrr.
- Synergy in particular should be punishable by having your expensive gym membership revoked and your smug business card shoved up your noze and set on fire.
- Interwebs and t'internets. Every time someone says "interwebs", a puppy dies.
- Any word with "gate" slapped on the end to indicate a scandal. Lazy journalism at it's worst.
- Tweeps, tweeple, in fact pretty much any bastardized word with "tw" shoved in front. Some work when they're one offs or funny, and tweetup is ok. Nothing else is acceptable.
- 'derp'.
- 'bad' - such a stupid word to describe something. "That music is bad"...eurgh
- "youz" - ARGH! "youz did all of that" makes me sick
- "lawl" - I like it in context but it doesn't count as part of a conversation. If someone says "lawl" and thinks it's your turn to talk, smack them
- "tween" - no one wants to be a tween. It's an old person word - stop labeling people!
psychology, words in Words
Reader Comments (15)
I'd never ban any words but here's my pet hates...
- 'Chill', 'chill out', 'chilling' or, worse, 'chillax': Can I revoke my whole not banning words thing?
- 'Chav', 'ned', etc: If you wouldn't use crude, lazy terminology to discriminate based on gender or race don't do it based on class.
- 'Lolz', 'meh', 'nomnomnom', etc: As hideously immersed in digital culture as I am I bloody hate internet speak. You're not 12, you're an adult. Stop it. Now.
My problem is that I find myself using the stupid words in some sense of misplaced irony- and then forgetting that it was a joke and just getting into the habit.
So at 28 years old, I find myself in polite company saying things like "I'm well jel of your awesome sneakers mate" with an entirely straight face. Not cool. As the young ones say.
Surely any noun made into a verb has to be here. 'Diarise' for instance - it's not a real word!!!
I think I could very well be Rosie. I sneer at certain words (I may or may not have threatened to slap silly my best friend for using the term "nom" over the weekend) but then like Rosie I find myself using them. For example - your example of interwebs I find quite cute. I wouldn't use it in public but sometimes in my own mind I replace internet for interwebs.
I recently had a problem where I said "Call me on my mobes" - MOBES!! Something my mother and I say to each other, which is supposed to stay between us suddenly got blurted out in a serious conversation - I was abso morto (absolutely mortified, not sure if that's ever been said before, certainly hasn't by me but thought for an experiment Id try it). I lied actually, I say abso quite a lot.
SO anyway before I spend all evening rambling and telling stories of my embarrassing situations let me leave you with this. I blame twitter (which is ok, because everyone blames twitter for everything). You see when you're FORCED in to using 140 characters words like abso, cos, yep etc become the norm - 'cos they save characterz innit!
That said, in Planet Rachael there is never, ever going to be an acceptable time or place for the following:
LOL/LOLZ - I HATE LOL! I don't know why I write it. I really worry one day I'm going to say it in the place of actual laughter. Imagine that, thing is I imagine I do that and then people point and LOL - sorry - laugh at me.
NOM NOM - If you may a noise like nom, nom whilst you're eating then you're a pig and deserve no food. Never nom in my presence again.
I'm going to stop, I'll probably be here all night otherwise!!
Great post!
I think those who work on the interwebs (ahem) themselves are responsible for some of the worst crimes against language. I find 'transmedia' particularly loathsome - it seems to have been invented with the sole purpose of adding a layer of superiority to any sentence it graces. The use of the word 'maven' should be a sackable offence and I also find 'sentiment' and 'amplification' in certain contexts make me irrationally annoyed. Grrrr.
I hate business speak sometimes. Synergy in particular should be punishable by having your expensive gym membership revoked and your smug business card shoved up your noze and set on fire.
Oh, I have several :-
Interwebs and t'internets. Every time someone says "interwebs", a puppy dies.
Immense, when used out of context. It means "massive", not "brilliant". I blame football commentators for that one.
The phrase "may or may not" - "may" is enough, "may not" is also enough. It's not like there's a 3rd option.
Any word with "gate" slapped on the end to indicate a scandal. Lazy journalism at it's worst.
Tweeps, tweeple, in fact pretty much any bastardized word with "tw" shoved in front. Some work when they're one offs or funny, and tweetup is ok. Nothing else is acceptable.
I'm going to stop now, as I'm a bit hungry. I'll more as they come to me.
Can't ! I don't use it and please don't ever use it with me. Use of this word stifles creativity and achievement.
"interwebs" doesn't send the same chills down my spine as the term 'derp'. I'm guessing that 'derp' may not even bother some people, whereas others may not heard of that term. Should we then discard a word purely on personal preference?
LOVE your comments! Thank you for sharing your #bannedwords
• Ross – agree with your words but most strongly with the lazy use of chav to brand people.
• Rosie – you make a great point, in fact it was because I had started using some really wanky business speak that I started thinking of #bannedwords.
• David – “Diarise”, shudder.
• Rachel – I have smiled each time I read your comment - ‘Mobes’ is a classic in-family word but I may start using abso morto, sounds like Latin. The char limit on Twitter is a mitigating circumstance but I do feel any corruption of English is still a crime. Speaking of Twitter I promise not to unfollow you for liking ‘interwebs’ ;)
• Hugh – certainly two truly overused and contrived words. Like you I have a dislike for any words that are chosen to make the speaker sound more important.
• Alex – your comment had me thinking of American Psycho. Yes, I am guilty of using such business speak sometimes and I need to shower after.
• Kevin – I am in total agreement about ‘gate’, makes me want to turn off. Loved the list but especially your point about unnecessary words in ‘May ...’ .
• John – I can’t help imagine an American self-help coach screaming that into a microphone ;) Seriously though, I know what you are saying and agree.
• James – 'derp'? I had never come across this word and had to look it up. Now I wish I hadn’t - something about it and its use makes my skin crawl. Your point “should we then discard a word purely on personal preference?” is very valid. If we are good and nice people then probably not but we are territorial animals and language is the last tool we have to divide our world. Not saying I like this, but it is in the genes.
Thanks again guys - loved reading your comments :)
'bad' - such a stupid word to describe something. "That music is bad"...eurgh
"youz" - ARGH! "youz did all of that" makes me sick
"lawl" - I like it in context but it doesn't count as part of a conversation. If someone says "lawl" and thinks it's your turn to talk, smack them
"tween" - no one wants to be a tween. It's an old person word - stop labeling people!
I'm not keen on "bizdev", "rockstar" or "meeja" as in "Meeja startup seekz bizdev rockstar". Also I'm not a fan of "digital" as a noun (sorry guys) or as a synonym for "online" and if, on a first date, a someone said to me "what am I like?" or "I love a giggle" I would be out the door. I could go on...I might, later.
PS I used to play this in meetings when I was in big business: http://bullshitbingo.net ENJOY.
As a linguist, I feel compelled to add something here about persistent misuse of foreign words.
Since when, for instance, has 'latte' been synonymous with coffee? Ask any Italian for a 'latte' and you'll get just that... a glass of milk. And why do we insist on using the word 'panini' which is plural, when an Italian would simply ask for a panino?
Don't even get me started on the 'Premiership' or 'Premier League'. If people insist on using French at all, at least do it consistently. Writing 'premier' but pronouncing 'première' is just odd.
I'm still bruised from one particular episode in a local Italian eatery where my request for 'bruschetta' (note the hard 'k' sound please) was corrected to bru-shetta by an obliging waitress. Ouch.
Claire - I know and share your pain!
Latte is a personal bugbear of mine also: I would like see them served milk for the reaction.
If you think 'panini' is bad, I saw a sign for panini's the other day. I almost went in and complained.
On a related topic to your bruschetta point I would like to add my dislike of espresso pronounced eXpresso.
Great post Mark!
I've only got a few #Bannedwords & here they are >>
Lush - This has to come from my Dad banning it when we were young... Still don't know why he didn't like it!
ASAP (Said as a wrod & not an acronym) This is just too American for a London office!
Redic... (It's rediculous that people feel the need to shorten this word) - Enought said on this one.
So I'm not too much of a grouch when it comes to word experimentation!
Luke,