"Breaking News," "Up Or Down Vote," "FEMA" among Banished Words for 2006

This “breaking news” just in: Lake Superior State University releases its 31st annual List of Words and Phrases Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness.

It was during a New Year’s party 30 years ago when LSSU Public Relations Director Bill Rabe and some colleagues cooked up a whimsical idea to banish overused words and phrases. On Jan. 1, 1976, with “tongue firmly in cheek,” Rabe took his first crack at it. Much to the delight (or chagrin) of word enthusiasts everywhere, the list endures into a fourth decade.

Through the years, LSSU has received thousands of nominations for its “all-time” list of banished words and phrases, which now stands at nearly 800. This year’s list is culled from almost 2,000 nominations received mostly through the University’s Website, www.lssu.edu/banished. Word-watchers target pet peeves from everyday speech, as well as from the news, fields of education, technology, advertising, politics, and more. A committee makes a final cut in late December. The list is released on New Year’s Day.

So pour out that last glass of eggnog, “hunker down” with a “person of interest” and enjoy the 2006 list, which is guaranteed “97% fat-free.”