Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Words That Should be Banned from the English Language

    Yesterday I listened to  phone in radio show on words that should be banned from the English language. I hear one or two of these shows a year and I find them fascinating. I'm quite low key when it comes to vigorous protest. There are words that I may not like but I don't go out beating a drum to have them banned.

    So what do people want banned? Some things are expressions that are meaningless and inaccurate. Example: "like." "Like" tell me! "Like" get a life! "Like" cool man! Another example"you know". "You know" I really like blues music. "You know" Fords are the best cars.

    Others phoned into the show were "going forward" "from the get go" "irregardless"

    Other examples were just grammar errors that are repeated. One I remember was "jet fighter" when it should be fighter jet" because what you're talking about is the kind of jet so the modifier should be before the noun.

    Others criticized words the have an er added to the end. I used one the other day when I said "littler " when I should have used smaller. I use funner quite often.

    We are a community of writers with our own styles. As writers we have some interest in expression and vocabulary. Many bloggers spend a tremendous amount of time editing to polish up their post. They care. 

    I find the styles used by bloggers interesting as they have found a successful way to tell their story. Many  bloggers write as they speak. They have an interesting and sequential way writing their post.

    So are there words you would like to see banned from the English language? What words or expressions really bug you? Is "bug" one of those words you want banned from the language?

41 comments:

  1. Of course just because a word is banned, doesn't mean that people won't keep using it. I get tired of hearing people use the "F" word all the time. Even in malls and public places there are people who use that word constantly. I find it very offensive.

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    1. There are many other choices in this case.

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  2. I agree with you and you know from reading my blog that I blog the way I speak. My grammar is terrible but I like to journal and blog. I would like to see the word retard banned. For the reason that people use the word when talking about someone doing something foolish not thinking about how the word can hurt someone who has a mental impairment or the parents of someone with a mental impairment.

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    1. Yes it is very offensive along with a few more.

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  3. I hate the fact that so many people use the word "literally" incorrectly. And i wish people would look up the definition of "decimate" before using it.

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    1. I'm sure you could make a long list of similar words in in this category.

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  4. i often make up my own words or versions of existing words - as you said, adding er or ier or ery. :) like i love fine fencery. anything that gets too repetitive gets irritating, whether it is proper grammar or not. the latest 'new thing' i've seen that i do not care for at all is the use of 'hack' to denote a trip or tip. as in '5 new medical hacks everyone should know'. drives me a bit cranky. :)

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    1. My son-in-law makes up words so I know what you mean.

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  5. Sorry, Red, but "funner" really bugs me.
    Generally I excuse incorrect grammar in ordinary conversation, although I do notice it, but it really bugs me when I hear it by people who speak for a living on radio of TV.

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    1. Okay, I'll try and drop the funner. I try to write informally on the blog. Yes , people who are paid should be fairly correct. Teachers are in that category.

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  6. I tend to add the " er " on the end of words. Like you said, funner. It drives Cameron crazy when I say anyways.
    Maybe we should do away with the letter m from the alphabet? Hehe! :)
    Cheri

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    1. Now there's a challenge to omit m. Sports teams seem to torque the language.

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  7. Selfie is a word that I'd like to see banned. It's become vastly overused.

    Kardashian would be a word and a family that in an ideal world would be dropped into a black hole.

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    1. I'm sure selfie will pass but maybe not soon enough for you.

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  8. As a not native english speaker I don't have an opinion about your subject. I do my best to find the right words and phrases and don't notice if there are strange words or grammers in your language. I only hear that "you know" very much in interviews on tv. That could be skipped for me.

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    1. Now you've got me thinking. I always assume you write in English. Most Dutch speak English.

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  9. I'm not really bothered by the way people speak but what's up with repeating the same word over and over and over and over again? Some people say the word 'like' and the two word combination 'you know' before or after almost every sentence. Why?

    As for blogging, I really enjoy bloggers that write the way they speak. I feel as if I'm right there beside them and we're having a conversation. They are very engaging.

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    1. the repetition think is a pain. I think you have a good point with blogs being conversational.

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  10. I laugh at the slang I use and often have a hard time not using it. I see some regional words used like Howdy.

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    1. I never thought of regional expressions used on blogs.

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  11. I always get curious when some says they "bartend" instead of "tend bar" but I don't get up in arms over it. I like the way different people write, and it interests me that some think we should all write the same. That would be very boring indeed! :-)

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    1. I never thought about people all writing in the same way. Good point.

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  12. I am one of those schizophrenic types in that I really want everyone to use the best grammar, but I frequently make mistakes...ones that I don't even know I am making. So I am not on the fence but on both sides! "Alot" and "centering around" are painful for me.

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    1. I use "alot' even though I know it's wrong. I will have to find something different.

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  13. Banning a word doesn't make sense when the problem most times is just incorrect grammar and usage of the word as in the 'like' and 'you know' examples you used.
    Hearing those two for me is tedious listening. :)

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    1. Poor grammar covers a wide territory. They don't teach grammar any more. I don't like where we're going with that one.

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  14. uhh if you listen closely Hillary C uses it all the time, sometimes I even count for her:) It is the only word or non word that bothers me:)

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    1. Since I don't hear Hiliary I'm not sure which word you're talking about.

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  15. "I wouldn't want you to label me disrespectful, But."

    It is appalling grammar. It is patronising. It is insincere.

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  16. "I'm not racist but...." I would dearly love to erase that from people's minds and mouths. Language is continuously evolving. If we went back to the middle ages we wouldn't be able to understand English.

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    1. I like this thought. We wouldn't have to go back to the middle ages to not understand. We learned English in Canada so it is different again.

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  17. Not one particular word that drives me crazy, but around this county people say, "I'm looking a ball",( for instance). Instead of saying, "I'm looking for a ball". That sounds so stupid to me! It drives me crazy. :) I agree with William Kendall. :)

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  18. That is me Red. I blog like I speak. Thanks for dropping in . I see you may have your your comment to me working.

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  19. I guess it does not matter which province or country one visits. We all have our "slang take on words or sentences". Doesn't bother me a bit. I "kinda like "funner", Eh. I think its rather a hoot in our advanced stages of these times - that many graduates of High Schools and Colleges are writing and speaking(grammar) impaired. My brother uses the word "mine", except he pronounces it "MYINN" . I kinda like that too, Eh. With the ever growing demand and use of technology, expect more grammar suffrage from text to text to text etc. I can only thing of one thing that bothers me - when the "TV Weather PERSONALITY" uses Umm, Umm, Umm in every sentence OR I go to hear a professional person speak and it's either Uhh or Umm in every paragraph. "My slang - "Don't git yer shorts in a twist buddy, Eh". ha,ha

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  20. Well I write like I talk. It drives some people crazy:) No nothing from me:) Hug B

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  21. I think the over-use of the word "like" when someone's talking (usually younger people) makes me weary.

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  22. Like. Seriously. Then there is the new CBC show, SCHITZ. Surely someone could come up with something funnier than this!

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  23. I hear that like so much that I find I occasionally like... use it. Without like meaning to. And it does make me crazy sometimes.

    I'm afraid I'm one of those who probably writes like I talk. I think. Well sort of. The reason is it depends on where I am. In Hawaii a little pidgin gets mixed in. In Chicago, it's more standard.

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  24. Unnecessary and excessive use of Like, You know should be definitely banned :)) I find it rather funny than annoying :)

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  25. "irregardless," WHICH IS NOT EVEN A REAL WORLD!

    Sorry, I had to scream that... :)

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