Hel-lo-o? It’s Time, Basically, We Got Rid of Some Overused Terms
Recently, our fax machine spit out a missive from a group of cranky language lovers listing words and phrases that have surrendered “through misuse, abuse and repetition to the point of inducing nausea” any of the originality or sparkle they once possessed.
The James Murray Society of English Excellence (shouldn’t that be for English excellence?) is named after the original editor of what has since become known as the Oxford English Dictionary. The group is based in Traverse City, Mich., but welcomes members from all over, said spokesman Steve Cook, who co-hosts “Grammatically Incorrect,” a weekly radio show about language on a Traverse City station.
Although we don’t agree with all the entries on the “Words to Be Forever Exiled From English” list (we will always have a soft spot for “tons of,” “the mother of all” and “spin”), we concur with the group on these:
* Basically: “The most irritating catch-all in American speech, it has effectively replaced ‘y’know’ as the method of buying time while formulating what one really wishes to say.”
* Y2K: “The initialism for the most anticlimactic manufactured crisis of the century can finally be laid to rest.”
* Proactive: “Ostensibly the opposite of reactive, this term didn’t exist until the ‘90s. [Actually, the word appeared in The Times in 1985.] . . . It means acting on issues before they become problems. . . . So what’s wrong with being assertive, aggressive, energetic or bold?”
* Diva: “Has suddenly found popular usage as a description of any female who has sold more than 10 compact discs. Dentists are not called brain surgeons simply because they use sharp tools near the head. A diva is an opera singer.”
* Hel-lo-o?: “Born in the ‘70s as ‘Earth calling (name here),’ in the ‘80s it graduated to ‘Duuuh!’ Can we please just drop the three syllable musical irritant and return ‘hello’ to its rightful place as a pleasant greeting?”
* Get a life: “I have a life, thanks. You, however, could benefit from getting a language.”
* Wake-up call: “It’s cute, it’s tired.”
Membership in the James Murray Society, $20 a year, includes a bimonthly newsletter. Information: (231) 947-7675, Ext. 1037.
