Banned Words of 2010

From Time magazine:

Say No More: The Banned Words of 2010

By Dan Fletcher Saturday, Jan. 02, 2010

A new year means a chance to leave some of the tired words and phrases of 2009 in the past. At least that's the theory of the wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University, who released their 35th annual (deep breath) List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.

This year's fifteen offenders make up a tech-heavy list. "Tweet" (and any variation thereof) is included, as is "friending" or "unfriending" someone. "App" — as a shortened word for application — is another offender. And at the end of a rough financial year, much of the jargon of economic pain has run its course: "In these economic times," "toxic assets" and "too big to fail" have no place in 2010.
(See the top 10 buzzwords of 2009.)

Some surprising omissions? None of 2009's most overused health care buzzwords were included ("public option," anyone?). But Obama himself makes the list, though only as a prefix — Obamanomics, Obamanation, etc. — as do his "czars." Glenn Beck could need to come up with a whole new vocabulary in 2010. .

The small Michigan university receives thousands of nominations over the course of the year before culling to the most flagrant offenders. Does the list hold any actual power? Some of the banned words from 2008 still crept into conversation last year: "bailout", "Wall Street/Main Street" and "carbon footprint" continue to be abused. Thankfully, "first dude", "maverick" and "game changer" were relegated to the sidelines.

The complete 2010 list:

1. Shovel-ready
2. Transparent/Transparency
3. Czar
4. Tweet
5. App
6. Sexting
7. Friend as a verb
8. Teachable Moment
9. In These Economic Times...
10. Stimulus
11. Toxic Assets
12. Too Big to Fail
13. Bromance
14. Chillaxin'
15. Obama as a prefix