Amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, and occupy. These are among the most overused words in the English language, according to Lake Superior State University (LSSU)’s annual list of words nominated for banishment.
Anyone can nominate words and phrases they feel are overused or just don’t make sense.
“The tongue-in-cheek [banishment list] began as a publicity ploy for little-known LSSU,” according to the university’s website.
The list, which has been published annually since 1976, has attracted international attention over the years.
The word “amazing” topped this year’s list as the most overused word. It has been used so much to the point where it’s lost its meaning, according to the report. Many of the nominations mention reality television as the worst offender, where “amazing” is used too often and incorrectly, the reported stated.
Kelsey Miki, a first-year journalism student at Carleton, said she’s guilty of doing just that.
“I definitely overuse ‘amazing.’ It’s just so useful,” she said.
Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, the word “occupy” placed number four on the list, just behind “baby bump” and “shared sacrifice.” Phrases beginning with “occupy” have become overused, for example “Occupy Thanksgiving,” according to the report.
“It really does make the word meaningless,” said Josh White, a first-year psychology student at Carleton.
White said he doesn’t overuse any of the words on the list, but he does overuse the word “awesome.” Although “awesome” isn’t the list, White said he believes it should be because “it has a specific meaning and is often misused.”
Many of the words and phrases on the list were unfamiliar to Patrick Bonne, a first-year biology student at Carleton.
“I have barely heard of any of these, save for those which have the misfortune of already being established words such as ‘amazing’ and ‘occupy,’” Bonne said.
Some of the phrases were also new to Miki, such as “win the future” and “new normal,” which she said “make no sense.”
White said although the report is funny, it also draws attention to a serious issue.
“Overusing words like this can really narrow a language,” he said. “It reduces and changes the meaning of words, and I think the writers of this report have a legitimate complaint.”
