Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 09:32:19 EST

From: heather HHEW1030[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]URIACC.URI.EDU

Subject: I don't think of this often



Hi everyone. I read this the other day and found the part

about the 't' in "often" most disturbing (I never pronounce it,

what's more, I always thought it was some form of hypercorrection).



Other note: I never heard "As if" used as a synonym for "duh".





Heather Hewitt

(no cool .sig--just a student at URI)

hhew1030[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uriacc.uri.edu

======================================================================== 184

As it appeared in the Detroit News. You'll have to read around some

of the html code. (I've tried to get rid of most of it)







Language lovers provide last word: University releases list

of overused, misused,useless verbiage - 1/1/97





Wednesday, January 1, 1997



Associated Press







SAULT STE. MARIE -- People at Lake Superior State University are, like,

tired of certain words. People who use them should "Get a life." Or

better yet, "Don't go there." The university's 21st annual list of misused,

overused and useless words is rich in the kind of slang popularized

by the movie "Clueless." Such phrases include "as if," which is

interchangeable with another word the university finds annoying,

"duh." Topping this year's list is "whatever," which in

its typical slang warble is lengthened to "whatev-er-r-r." Rachel

Bivens, a high school student from Manton, asks, "Whatever what?

Whatever I want? Whatever I need? It doesn't make any sense."

But if you agree with Bivens, please don't applaud by saying, "You go, girl!"

This phrase, too, is on the list of phrases the university would like

to see banned. Lake Superior, the smallest public university in

Michigan with about 3,400 students, releases the list each Jan. 1

after gathering submissions from around the world. Thousands

words have been nominated from academia, advertising, business,

journalism, the military, politics and sports. For you business types, the

university wants to "outphase" the word "outsourcing," which is the practice

of having parts and supplies produced by another company.

Lake Superior English Professor Polly Fields says "down time" may be OK for

computers, but not humans. Mark Terwilliger, a campus math professor, said

he is tired of playing "phone tag." Even phrases like Joe Sixpack bother some

people. "Joes should not be lumped together as common or every day,"

says -- can you guess his name? -- Joe Gallagher of Port Huro

Robert Sutherland of London, Ontario has two words for "La Macarena." "Ad

nauseam." Words aren't even suitable for what George Reid of Marquette thinks

of people who use "a-whole-nother." "Aaarrrggghhh



Other banished words and phrases include:

* "Paper or plastic?" "Are they talking about

payment or package totes?" asks Paul D. Freedman of Sault Ste.

Mari

* "Thank you for taking my call." "This groveling

by callers to talk shows accomplishes nothing," says Dan McManman of

Ironwoo

* "Bridge" metaphors. "'Bridge to the 21st

century?' It's called a calendar," say Dan and Nancy Friesen of

Windsor, Ontario



Naysayers:



Lake Superior State University's 21st annual

list of words and phrases proposed for banishment from everyday

language



* "Doing the ----- thing," as in "doing the mom

thing," "doing the lunch thing," etc.

* "La Macarena." It isn't even good

exercise.

* "Phone tag."

* "Attitude," when used to describe an overly

aggressive person.

* "Multi-tasking," as in doing several things at

once.

* "Aromatherapy," as it appears on the labels of

many products such as shampoos and air fresheners.

* "Down time," when referring to anything but

computers.

* "Get a life."

* "Outsourcing."

* "Paper or plastic?"

* "Bridge" metaphors, as is "bridge to the 21st

century."

* "Whatever," as pronounced "WHAT-everrrrrrr,"

usually by a disgusted teen.

* "You go, girl!" as seen on TV.

* "Don't go there," or "Don't even go

there."

* "As if." See "whatever" above.

* "I'm like," as in "I'm like, 'Where're we

going?'"

* "Joe Sixpack."

* "Thank you for taking my call," as heard on TV

call-in shows.

* "Often," when pronounced without the

"t."

* "Just play one game at a time."

* "No doubt about it."

* "Winningest."

* "Extra-added."

* "Free, gratis."

* "Separate it out."

* "Oscillating back and forth."