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."