By Andrew Stern
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A "surge" of overused words and phrases formed a "perfect storm" of "post-9/11" cliches in 2007, according to a U.S. university's annual list of words and phrases that deserve to be banned.
Choosing from among 2,000 submissions, the public relations department at Michigan's Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie targeted 19 affronts to the English language in its well-known jab at the worlds of media, sports, advertising and politics.
The contributors gave first prize to the phrase "a perfect storm," saying it was numbingly applied to virtually any notable coincidence.
"Webinar" made the list as a tiresome non-word combining Web and seminar that a contributor said "belongs in the same school of non-thought that brought us e-anything and i-anything."
Similarly, the list-makers complained about the absurd comparisons commonly phrased "x is the new y," as in "(age) 70 is the new 50" or "chocolate is the new sex." "Fallacy is the new truth," commented one contributor.
Some words and phrases sagged under the weight of overuse, contributors said, citing the application of "organic" to everything from computer software to dog food.
In the same vein, decorators offering to add "pop" with a touch of color need new words, the list-makers said.
Such phrases as "post 9/11" and "surge" have also outlived their usefulness, they said. Surge emerged in reference to adding U.S. troops in Iraq but has come to explain the expansion of anything.
Other contributors took umbrage at the phrase to "give back" as applied to charitable gestures, usually by celebrities.
"The notion has arisen that as one's life progresses, one accumulates a sort of deficit balance with society which must be neutralized by charitable works or financial outlays," one said.
"Back in the day" raised hackles for being applied to recent trends rather than historical events.
Other teenage linguistic indiscretions such as the often meaningless use of "random" and "sweet" raised the ire of list-makers, as did the pointless "it is what it is."
Reporters were chided for skipping out on detail by describing an event or parting as "emotional," and for misapplying "decimate" when they mean annihilate or destroy, not the word's true meaning of to lose a fraction.
Sports announcers were urged to drop "throw under the bus" when assigning blame to a player. "It is a call for the media to start issuing a thesaurus to everyone in front of a camera," a contributor said.
And finally, any self-respecting writer would groan at being labeled a "wordsmith" who engages in "wordsmithing," the list-makers said.
(Editing by Stuart Grudgings)
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Overused Words
Matriarch
I have some phrases:
huge cock
pumped me like a piston
licked greedily
came instantly
throbbing member
add away
huge cock
pumped me like a piston
licked greedily
came instantly
throbbing member
add away
Quote by Lush
I have some phrases:
huge cock
pumped me like a piston
licked greedily
came instantly
throbbing member
add away
Oh great Lush... Now I have this 'Hard as steel shaft' poking my jeans and it hurts. Just reading your poetry caused this mind you... you naughty naughty young lady you.
*sigh*
Active Ink Slinger
I'm with you, Curious2c. Lush's poetry has immediately given me a big stiff cock that I must fuck into a wet pussy before filling it with my boiling cum.
Gee, *thanks* Lush ;)
Knight
Gee, *thanks* Lush ;)
Knight
Knight Of Passion: The Man, The Legend, The Blog - and now, The Podcast!
"Her breasts "surged", and the sex was a "perfect storm". Since "brunettes are the new blondes", I thought it was "sweet" when she "gave back" and "engulfed" me. But since "girlfriend is the new wife", I was "thrown under the bus" when she found out about the other woman, "back in the day", and that I "popped her cherry".
Matriarch
Do you think we should start a thread, the most hackneyed / overused phrases in erotica?
Matriarch
Quote by roccotool
I think it might turn off authors, Lush, when they see a phrase that's in one of their stories. I know I'm guilty of using overused words.
Where's your sense of adventure!
"as he thrust his manhood deep inside me"...
His hard knob was jamming so deep it was into her cervix. *nods*
Actually I checked this one out and discovered that if that hard knob was 'into' her cervix she'd more than likely be dead in a few hours from ruptured blood vessels. Not to mention the pain that wouldn't be sexually gratifying at all, even if she were into pain.
The head of his cock slipped into her womb, and she felt his spooge gushing inside to fill her up completely.
Actually I checked this one out and discovered that if that hard knob was 'into' her cervix she'd more than likely be dead in a few hours from ruptured blood vessels. Not to mention the pain that wouldn't be sexually gratifying at all, even if she were into pain.
The head of his cock slipped into her womb, and she felt his spooge gushing inside to fill her up completely.
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by KnightOfPassion
I'm with you, Curious2c. Lush's poetry has immediately given me a big stiff cock that I must fuck into a wet pussy before filling it with my boiling cum.
Gee, *thanks* Lush ;)
Knight
You know, there are interesting cures for that now...
The naughtiest Nymph this side of the forest.
Last submitted a story: March 12, 2008
Last submitted a story: March 12, 2008