Don't Bailout 2009’s Banished Words

"Hadst thou no poison mixed, no sharp-ground knife, No sudden mean of death, though ne'er so mean, But 'banished' to kill me—'banished'? O friar, the damned use that word in hell; Howling attends it! How hast thou the heart, Being a divine, a ghostly confessor, A sin-absolver, and my friend professed, To mangle me with that word 'banished'?—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Romeo at III, iii)

It's That Time of Year Again!

Sharpen your editing knife and consider cutting these words from your writing. Lake Superior State University "maverick" word-watchers, fresh from the holiday "staycation" but without an economic "bailout" even after a "desperate search," issued their 34th annual List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. This year's list may be more "green" than previous lists. It includes words and phrases that people from "Wall Street to Main Street" say they love "not so much" and wish to have erased from their "carbon footprint."

Axe Environmental Buzzwords from your Writing

Green: 'going green,' 'building green,' 'greening,' 'green technology,' 'green solutions'

Carbon footprint, carbon offsetting

Vote Out Presidential Election and Media Verbiage

Maverick: 'mavericky.'

First Dude

Bailout

Icon, Iconic

Game Changer

Staycation

Desperate search

Not so much.

Winner of five nominations

It's that time of year again!