|
Checking In on Worn-Out Words and Phrases: First Quarter 2019
|
|
“Nature abhors a vacuum,” Aristotle once said, and the same
holds true for language. If we detect an empty lexical space because we
feel existing words no longer occupy it well, we will look to fill it,
often with something that seems or sounds fresh within our current culture
and era.
For a time, we might embrace those updates to communication: They can make
us feel original, cool, connected to the zeitgeist. Often, current language
style will reduce formality of writing and speech through abbreviation,
fusion, or invention of words. We assign labels for many as well: catch phrase, buzz word, lingo, parlance.
As we’re all aware, however, whether in fashion, music, cars, or
language, trends come and go. Those with enough substance and utility might
hang on; the others will simply complete their life cycles and then perhaps
straggle a bit before fading into obscurity.
With you, we form a community that is focused on an optimal use of English.
We therefore find it fitting to monitor words and phrases that have grown
old or stale or may do so soon.
For a review of the worn-out words and phrases we’ve compiled to
date, you can visit any of our four preceding articles from 2017 and
2018:
Worn-Out Words and Phrases
Worn-Out Words and Phrases (Follow-up)
Worn-Out Words and Phrases: Resolving to Keep Writing Fresh in 2018
Still on the Stakeout for Worn-Out Words & Phrases
The following table includes our latest additions to words and phrases on
our radar of overuse or untenability so far in 2019. In some cases, you
might still consider some of them useful or relevant when writing or
speaking. If however you’re particular about articulation that will
endure rather than just conform to current style, you might consider
alternatives that have maintained their lasting positions in English.
|
Worn-Out
Word/Phrase |
Contemporary
Meaning |
Alternatives in
Careful Writing |
| in the wheelhouse (prep. phrase) |
identifying something or someone as being in a position of strength or skill |
skill, strength, specialization (use nouns instead of the phrase) |
| in the books (prep. phrase) |
noted, completed |
noted, done, completed, finished |
| wrap one’s head around (verb phrase) |
contemplate, understand |
consider, reflect, contemplate, ponder, mull over, understand |
| thought leader (noun) |
subject expert whose ideas and opinions influence other people, especially in business |
leader, influencer, subject expert, specialist |
| ghost (verb) |
disappear or abandon, especially as it applies to leaving a relationship |
leave, disappear, abandon, flee |
| epic (adj.) |
impressive, very good |
memorable, impressive, exceptional, outstanding |
| so ye-ah/ya-uh (interj.) |
“well, okay,” “alrightee then” |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| I can’t even (interj.) |
I am losing patience, at a loss for words, annoyed about something |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| for real (interj.) |
serious, legitimate, really |
true, good, great(!) |
| It’s lit (idiomatic clause) |
something exciting is happening and you’ll want to be there |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| woke (adj.) |
aware of current affairs, enlightened |
aware, current, heard about it, enlightened |
| killing it (verb phrase) |
excelling at something |
achieving, excelling, doing great |
| suh, sup (interj.) |
what’s up? |
how are you, what are you doing |
| cray (adj.) |
crazy |
crazy, strange, silly, wacky |
| troll |
(verb) follow others online, especially on social media, to criticize them or otherwise smear their image or opinion (noun) one who does so |
(verb) hassle, heckle, hound, pester, disrupt (noun) heckler, hound, pest, antagonist |
| said no one ever (idiomatic clause [sarcasm]) |
negation of almost any statement— e.g., I love shoveling heavy snow…said no one ever. |
don’t, do not |
| as to whether (conj.) |
(unnecessarily wordy expression of whether) |
whether |
| necessitate (verb) |
bloated word for require |
call for, entail, require |
| on account of (prep. phrase) |
because of |
because of, due to, owing to |
| with all due respect (prep. phrase) |
polite set-up for I disagree |
(strike as unnecessary—what follows is often not an expression of respect) |
| It’s not brain surgery (idiomatic clause) |
the item at hand is not difficult |
it’s simple, easy, not challenging |
| get your ducks in a row (idiomatic clause) |
complete preparations, become efficient and well organized |
plan, prepare, organize, get organized |
| play hardball (verb phrase) |
be serious or aggressive in response |
resist, push back, not cooperate |
|
|
As is always our stance, we acknowledge that many of these words and
phrases may linger in our lexicons and even still feel fitting in certain
contexts. At the same time, as enthusiasts of clarity and eloquence in
proper English, we can all be alert to our frequency of use and the more
enduring alternatives.
Weeding worn-out words and phrases is a communal exercise, so we welcome
your continuing feedback concerning both what we should watch out for and
how we can all say it better according to the rich vocabulary available to
us. Together, we can keep our writing articulate, strong, and timeless.
|
View and comment on this
article on our website.
|
|
Free BONUS Quiz for You!
[[firstname]], because you are a subscriber to the newsletter, you get access to one of the Subscribers-Only Quizzes. Click here to take a Commas and Periods Quiz and get your scores and explanations instantly!
We will be adding many more quizzes this year to our already substantial list of quizzes. If you have suggestions for topics we have not yet covered, please send us a message at help@grammarbook.com.
|
Hundreds of Additional Quizzes
at Your Fingertips
Subscribe now to receive hundreds of additional English usage quizzes not found anywhere else!
Teachers and Employers
Save hours of valuable time! You may assign quizzes to your students and employees and have their scores tallied, organized, and reported to you! Let GrammarBook.com take the hassle out of teaching English!
"Fun to test my skills."
"The explanations really help ... thanks!"
"I can select the quizzes to assign to my students, and then the results are reported to me automatically!"
|
|
Don't need all the quizzes?
You can now purchase the same quizzes individually for ONLY 99¢ each.
Purchase yours here. |
If you think you have found an error in a quiz, please email us at help@grammarbook.com
|
 |
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern |
The Authority on English Grammar! Eleventh Edition Now Available
An indispensable tool for busy professionals, teachers, students, homeschool families, editors, writers, and proofreaders.
Available in print AND as an e-Book! Over 2,000 copies are purchased every month!
The publisher of The Blue Book, Jossey-Bass, A Wiley brand, is offering a 35 percent discount for those of you who order the book through Wiley.com. Shipping and tax are not included. Simply go to bit.ly/1996hkA and use discount code E9X4A.
Offer expires December 31, 2020.
|
Wordplay
Two Silly Jokes
Two fishermen sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
If you can't spell big words like "apocalypse" don't worry, it's not like it's the end of the world.
|
 |
English In A Snap:
68 One-Minute English Usage Videos FREE |
Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends. Click here to watch.
|
|
