"Amazing" Should be Banished From the English Language

[Sporky111]

Can we get rid of the word "terrorist"?

Also, I don't understand that picture that's with the story.

 

[Woodsey]

Also, I don't understand that picture that's with the story.

It's Oscar Wilde, who wasn't exactly fond of being told what he could and couldn't write - that's the only connection I can make.

 

[martyrdrebel27]

edit: already posted what was here, didn't think it actually worked. so now you get this. sorry.

 

[MammothBlade]

Hell no, I like the word "amazing". This suggestion is amazingly stupid.

Personally, I think the use of "real" as an adjective should be banned, it's a term of abuse in political discussions, and irritates me to no end. That and other political newspeak.

 

[deserteagleeye]

"legit" just triggers hate in me by now.

 

[mad825]

Why don't we just ban the English language? That way we can come to a consensus that nearly all words are overused and therefore we would no longer have to put-up with any of this nonsense.

 

[TheGreenGoblin]

I was going to ban some annoying words but then I took an arrow to the knee.

 

[Imat]

Why is an American University saying anything about the English language?

As an Englishman I have to protest that the people in charge of this survey utilise the language incorrectly in hundreds of ways every single day.

Pavement, not sidewalk
Dustbin/rubbishbin, not trashcan
Colour not Color
Lefttenant not Lootenant

Keep English English!

This has bothered me the entire time and nobody has corrected it...I think you were going for straight up pronunciation spelling, but this became the only misspelled word of your examples:

Lieutenant not Lootenant.

But now I know that they are, in fact, supposed to be the same rank, all else being equal.

OT: Much as certain words and phrases bother me (I was seriously prepared to make "Foos-Ro-Dah" get the player instantly killed in my campaign before I had played Skyrim...), banning them would never work, and shouldn't happen even if it would. Banning is not always the answer...

 

[Robert Ewing]

Language evolves.

I guess your entire argument is now void. I can pretty much guarantee that English will be completely different in 50 years time, if that.

 

[AngloDoom]

I nominate ''hate'', ''low'' and ''high'' or te misused category

I was gonna hate the word low, then I got high

Na na na, na, na-na-na!

OT: Really, we're trying to ban words again? That's stupid: language isn't stationary and it never should be stationary. If you want to say something is truly 'amazing' then there's no shortage of words to express it: I very rarely hear people describe someone's new haircut as "breathtaking".

 

[Wintermoot]

I nominate the word "haters"

 

[Dfskelleton]

Personally, I've always subscribed to Stephen Fry's linguistic philosophy [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY], but if I did have to ban a set of words, I'd probably go with "knee," "arrow," "in" and "the." Not in that order.

Ah, I remember a thread from not even a month ago saying that "arrow to the knee" would totally not become the new "Cake is a lie".
And now, I am the one who is to laugh.
OT: I agree that the word "amazing" is heavily misused, as are words like "epic". Unfortunately, we'll just have to deal with it until people wise up. Banning the words will probably cause more trouble than it will solve.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Oh yeah, let's just start banning all the words we find unpleasant. Soon we won't be able to speak at all.
/sarcasm

On the other hand if I could forceably remove a few words from whatever passes as language I'd probably go with "pwn", "emo", "noob",

Can we include 'gimmicky' in there? That word has basically turned into 'any idea I don't like.'

and that, but only when used in the context of 'any idea I don't like.'

 

[XDravond]

I'm more in for banning "insertsstupidwordhere"-esque....

But a lot of words gets overused because it's the "hip" word of the day/month/year...

 

[him over there]

Language is the ability to interact and understand one another with human created words. Isn't a word that is grossly misused but everyone understands in context more meaningful than the word used in the correct context that no one recognises? Like terrific is to terror as horrific is to horror according to the legitimate english definition. If you described a terrifying situation as terrific though everyone would think you're insane.

 

[teh_Canape]

all I have to say is

Spoiler

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Preposterous idea. Should a man who does not appreciate a well-aged, delectable, fine wine cause the destruction of the entire batch? That they might take use of something and apply it to thoroughly unordinary contexts takes nothing from the word, but instead speaks wonders of them, that they might see such intensity from something so plain. Let them have the words they use on end, that those who understand the finer meanings of the word shall appreciate them more, or even find enjoyment and amusement from holding over the heads of others that they know the true meaning, and that these pretenders who are so easily impressed should then barely be able to contemplate the things that stand to us as breathtaking, terrifying, mind-blowing, or incomparably astounding. When we should look upon something that is nothing less than awe-inspiring, and we see them at a dumbfounded loss for words finding only that their well-worn "amazing" is not enough, we know that they should seek something else, and come to understand their folly.

Let them have their word. I have others I could yet use that speak volumes more than a single oft-uttered sentiment expressing their favor.

 

[Centrophy]

I'm all for collectively deciding to stop the overuse of "The American People" (Ex: The American people want this or don't want that.). Another good one would be "uncertainty" (As in financial uncertainty, life isn't certain... business isn't certain. Stop using that as an excuse.) I'm not really for flat bans though, that is tantamount to censorship.

Also, not really sure this should be listed as news.