Enough already with COVID-19
Words that topped Lake Superior State University’s Banished Words List
“My bad” was not on the list
However, everyone — including the wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – said enough already with COVID-19.
That and “social distancing” topped the school’s light-hearted list of banned words and phrases for 2021.
“It should surprise no one that this year’s list was dominated by words and terms related to COVID-19,” Banished Words List committee members said in a news release. “LSSU’s Banished Words List has reflected signs of the times since deputing in the mid-1970s, and the zeitgeist this year is: We’re all in this together by banishing expressions like ‘ We’re all in this together.’”
“To be sure, COVID-19 is unprecedented in wreaking havoc and destroying lives. But so is the overreliance on ‘unprecedented’ to frame things, so it has to go too,” said the committee.
The school in Sault St. Marie has compiled the list each year since 1976 it says to “uphold, protect, and support excellence in language by encouraging avoidance of words and terms that are overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, clichéd, illogical, nonsensical – and otherwise ineffective, baffling or irritating.”
Over the years, LSSU has received tens of thousands of nominations for its list, which now totals more than 1,000 entries. This year, nominations came from most major cities in the United States, along with suggestions from Australia, the Czech Republic, England and Canada.
Joining past inductees such as “awesome,” “BFF,” “bummage,” and “terminal cuteness” are:
1. COVID-19 (COVID, coronavirus, Rona)
A large number of nominators are clearly resentful of the virus and how it has overtaken our vocabulary. No matter how necessary or socially and medically useful these words are, the committee cannot help but wish we could banish them along with the virus itself. Coincidentally, this list arrives as does a vaccine— the committee hopes this proves a type of double whammy.
2. Social distancing
This phrase is useful, as wearing a mask and keeping your distance have a massive effect on preventing the spread of infection. But we’d be lying if we said we weren’t ready for this phrase to become “useless.” With north of 50 nominations, many others clearly feel the same, and the tone of their reasoning ranged from impatient to heartfelt.
3. We’re all in this together
This phrase was likely intended as a way to keep everyone feeling safe and calm at the start of the pandemic. However, as the virus made its way across the globe and nation, it became clear that we are all dealing with COVID-19 in different ways and that we confront some vastly different challenges in coping with it. As with many words that show up on the list, its usefulness has faded.
4. In an abundance of caution (various phrasings)
Yes, humanity needs to follow safeguards during COVID-19. The statistics are sobering: more than 342,000 deaths and more than 19 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and more than 1.8 million deaths and more than 82 million confirmed cases worldwide. But the phrasing about how to take preventative steps is vague. What is the standard measurement for caution, metric or U.S. standard?
5. In these uncertain times (various phrasings)
The committee agrees that COVID-19 has upended everyday life and wishes this weren’t so. But putting things into imprecise context doesn’t help matters. The blur dilutes reality and, to some, sounds like the beginning of a movie trailer. Keep as wide a berth of trite parlance as those who don’t wear masks in public. What exactly does it mean for times to be uncertain? Look at a clock!
For more about the Banished Words List and to nominate a word or term for banishment for 2022, visit lssu.edu/banishedwords.