Slog
News & ArtsThursday, April 26, 2012
Language What Is the Worst Word in the English Language?
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 2:24 PM
The New Yorker asked which one single word should be eradicated from English, and lots of people answered. Some popular candidates:
· literally (we should keep this one, but misuse should be punishable by death; we recently got a pitch for a story that said, "The conference was literally mind blowing"—um, NO, BUT TOO BAD IT WASN'T)
· actually (should also be kept, but people should cease overuse [cough PAUL CONSTANT cough])
· awesome (again, overused, and almost always used outside its real meaning, but doesn't it always make you feel good—maybe a little dumb, but good?)
· moist (a perenially unfavorite and amply discussed at the link above)
The winner/loser is after the jump (in case the post at the link is too long for you to read—it's at the end of it).
And the winner/loser is...
slacks.
Personally, I like "slacks." I think it connotes a certain style of pants that we don't have another good word for. Also, one doesn't see the word much—what's the big objection? It sounds a little gross, but then the pants we're talking about aren't pretty.
Anyhow, over at The New Yorker, "Mary Norris, of the magazine’s venerable copy department, will write 'slacks' on a piece of paper, crumple it, and throw it away." Which seems great.
2
Awesome is an excellent word - literally one of my mo[i]st favorites, actually.
I love all of those words. But then, I love words.
I think we need to keep moist. It’s somewhere between damp and dry.
I love all of those words. But then, I love words.
I think we need to keep moist. It’s somewhere between damp and dry.
3
I really love the word slacks. But for the most part, I like all words, especially when used in ways that surprise me. I generally do not like people who are personally offended by words.
5
Moist is fine, unless someone is saying 'that makes me moist' the way other people might say 'that's awesome.'
I say we keep 'literally' around because its careless use is an easy indicator of a lazy intellect, and I am all about finding ways to feel smugly superior to other people.
I say we keep 'literally' around because its careless use is an easy indicator of a lazy intellect, and I am all about finding ways to feel smugly superior to other people.
11
Wow, not nigger or kike, but slacks...bravo, New Yorker (and you think moist makes you cringe...)!!
12
Actually, Bethany, I overuse "really" a hell of a lot more than I overuse "actually". (Although I threw in an extra "actually" in the Slog poll a couple posts above this one, just for you.)
14
C'mon, man, "moist" is great. "Dank", "clammy", "sodden", these are all great. They make my slacks moist.
I like "actually" when followed by a blast of total Will in Seattle nonsense about how he wrote the software that controls the entire Western Interconnection or had sex with a hundred women or beta-tested the iPad 3D.
I like "actually" when followed by a blast of total Will in Seattle nonsense about how he wrote the software that controls the entire Western Interconnection or had sex with a hundred women or beta-tested the iPad 3D.
16
I said "moist" too! But I also added my hatred for "juicy," particularly when used in reference to women.
18
Mine would be "Amazing," because it's the most generic, non-committal, overly used adjective.
Also "disconnect," as in, "There's a disconnect between..." because it's so pretentious and NPR listenery.
But also "Like," because come on, it just makes you sound airheaded, especially when you insert, like, five of them into, like, a single, like, sentence?
Also "disconnect," as in, "There's a disconnect between..." because it's so pretentious and NPR listenery.
But also "Like," because come on, it just makes you sound airheaded, especially when you insert, like, five of them into, like, a single, like, sentence?
19
For an awful word, I will pass over the "gross" ones like "smegma" and "curdle" and nominate "juror". There was an early "30 Rock" that played on the impossibility of understanding someone saying "the rural juror" out loud. It hurts my tongue just thinking about saying it.
22
I also hate the word "moist" so whenever I hear it, I follow it with the word "towelette" in my head. Somehow that works for me.
Who would have guessed that that there is a Moist Towelette online museum?
http://moisttowelettemuseum.com/
What a strange world we live in.
Who would have guessed that that there is a Moist Towelette online museum?
http://moisttowelettemuseum.com/
What a strange world we live in.
25
18 beat me to the punch w/ amazing.
19 now I have the need to hear a japanese person give the rural juror a go.
19 now I have the need to hear a japanese person give the rural juror a go.
27
Couldn't we pick a hurtful or hateful adjective or noun?
Retard, spaz, loser, f_____, b____, c___. mongoloid, fat, ugly, stupid.
How high does your ivory tower have to be to chose 'slacks'? Fuck, I feel twelve again just writing those words.
Retard, spaz, loser, f_____, b____, c___. mongoloid, fat, ugly, stupid.
How high does your ivory tower have to be to chose 'slacks'? Fuck, I feel twelve again just writing those words.
28
I don't think words should be banned—at least not in these here United States—but I could do without "moniker" for the rest of time. JUST SAY "NAME," FOR GOD'S SAKE. Music writers (cough DAVE SEGAL cough) love this one.
And thanks, Paul, really!
And thanks, Paul, really!
29
I use the word awesome a lot, AND I MEAN IT EVERY TIME.
Since the great "mouthfeel" debate of o'eleven, I have resigned myself to liking all words. Meme's and expressions, in those are now the objects of my disdain.
Since the great "mouthfeel" debate of o'eleven, I have resigned myself to liking all words. Meme's and expressions, in those are now the objects of my disdain.
30
Love it or hate it, "moist" is the only word I have ever found that can be used when discussing the qualities of cake.
I am going to start using "slacks" even more now, out of spite.
I am going to start using "slacks" even more now, out of spite.
31
I've always disliked the word "blazer"; I think mainly because it doesn't make any sense for the clothing item it describes. Are we supposed to set formal jackets aflame?
@22,
I'd be far more surprised if there were a brick-and-mortar moist towelette museum.
@22,
I'd be far more surprised if there were a brick-and-mortar moist towelette museum.
32
My local daily published a preview of a Howie Mandel show this week, where the lede was "Howie Mandel is everywhere these days, literally and figuratively." The "literally" makes it sound like he's God, all places at once.
33
You can call me a moist-poseur all you want, but I've been hating that word for years, along with slacks, couch, purse and meal.
34
But then how are we supposed to refer to Mmes Lewinsky, Belluci, that Fox News bitch Crowley, et al.?
36
"doable" It looks ugly and sounds worse. Also throw in "galore", and "situation" as in "emergency situation". Remove the word "situation" from a hundred sentences and the meaning will change in perhaps one.
37
@36, "The Situation vomited profusedly over the bank clerk whilst checking his balance, which stood at $32 million."
41
@31- It's the other meaning of "blaze"; and emblem or marking, i.e. "The trail was easy to follow thanks to the orange blazes." The blazer comes from uniform jackets, it marks you.
43
Should dump "basically". Anytime somebody starts an explanation of anything with 'Basically,..." it will neither be basic or short.
47
@45 - The grass is always a little damp at those things.
Come to think of it, I do have a few words when in the context of food I find objectionable, starting with "sliders." Ugh.
Come to think of it, I do have a few words when in the context of food I find objectionable, starting with "sliders." Ugh.
49
"Slacks", the noun, is really vile. I'm not sorry to see the back of it. The verb and the adjective are fine, useful words--they can stay. As for "moist", I'm with @10, @15, and maybe @39.
The word I hate most is "appealing", as in appetizing or enticing. I can't hear it without thinking of this one dumb joke about bananas, and bananas are the one food I won't eat. Just the thought of bananas makes me retch. Even if it weren't for that, the word is just coy and icky somehow. Did that dessert literally fall to its knees and implore you to enjoy it? No. Get a grip.
"Frugal" is an ugly word too. It's coy like "appealing". It makes me think of moldy food.
The word I hate most is "appealing", as in appetizing or enticing. I can't hear it without thinking of this one dumb joke about bananas, and bananas are the one food I won't eat. Just the thought of bananas makes me retch. Even if it weren't for that, the word is just coy and icky somehow. Did that dessert literally fall to its knees and implore you to enjoy it? No. Get a grip.
"Frugal" is an ugly word too. It's coy like "appealing". It makes me think of moldy food.
51
This absolutely has no rhyme or reason, but I hate most common words involving fire. Ever since I was a very young girl. Just typing fire, smoke, cigarette, cigar is hard. I had to pause to control my anxiety between each word as I was typing. I even have an aversion to cats and dogs and people named Smokey.
At least I know it's a weird thing.
At least I know it's a weird thing.
52
"Newbie". Please, everyone. For fuck's sake we have a perfectly good word for that. It's 'neophyte'. It is classy and makes you sound all smart and shit when you say it.
That other, made-up word, it makes you sound like an acne-riddled teenage loser.
That other, made-up word, it makes you sound like an acne-riddled teenage loser.
53
I HAVE BEEN VALIDATED. That last word before the winner/loser. The awfulest one. People make fun of me for hating that word. It needs to die. Now. And many other people agree. Hrmph.
54
And, 39, I'm a woman, and I'm not afraid of my sexuality. That word just sounds horrible, whenever/however it's used. It literally TASTES bad.
56
@37 That would be the one instance, but did you have to get all pretentious and use "whilst"?
Also on a general note to commenters, don't they teach neither/nor, either/or in school anymore?
Also on a general note to commenters, don't they teach neither/nor, either/or in school anymore?
58
I never learned "neither/nor" in school, and I'm oldish. I use it a lot now in my work (had to learn it). Hey, what is up with WORD performing a grammer check on every occurrence of "nor" (not "neither") in whatever it is I'm writing- like it knows what it's talking about, amirite?
Is that Ron Jeremy in that ad on the right?
Is that Ron Jeremy in that ad on the right?
61
"Ointment" is bad.
@56, I'm sorry, but I get an involuntary half chub whenever I type the word "whilst". Not a full chub -- I'm not a pervert.
@51, your comment makes me smolder.
@56, I'm sorry, but I get an involuntary half chub whenever I type the word "whilst". Not a full chub -- I'm not a pervert.
@51, your comment makes me smolder.
63
Nevermind slacks; I nominate knickers. Inject that word into a public conversation and you might get yourself punched in the face.
65
I nominate " chickwich" the contraction for chicken sandwich. They used it on school lunch menues when I was a kid. I always brought my own on those days just because I hated that word.
66
@54- You claim to be comfortable with your sexuality, but you the evidence (your dislike of moist) indicates that you aren't. The opposite of moist is dry, and we all know that dry and sex do not go together happily. Happy sex is moist sex.
67
a good friend posited that this common disdain for the word "moist" is deeply rooted in misogyny. @66's comment kinda reminded me of that.
68
@63; I read through everything, including unregistered comments to make sure I wasn't the only one. I know that hating words like "knickers" and "niggardly" can arguably give more power to the "n" word, but honestly; there's no need for them. Slacks is a FAR better word than knickers, and miserly a far better word than niggardly. I don't care if they're completely different words, they still illicit a similar emotional response. Words have meaning and evoke emotion, those ones have a negative emotion associated with them and should be done away with.
69
Apparently I don't know how to edit comments on slog. My posts never reflect my edits.
*elicit
Addendum:
Sure, the actual hateful words should be done away with, but new words will take their place. Let us instead jettison the words that sound hateful and are archaic to begin with. There's a reason that periodontitis is no longer called pyorhea.
*elicit
Addendum:
Sure, the actual hateful words should be done away with, but new words will take their place. Let us instead jettison the words that sound hateful and are archaic to begin with. There's a reason that periodontitis is no longer called pyorhea.
71
@59, Classy (or as I like to spell it, Klassy) is the most ingenious multi layered word in the english language. Allow me to explain;
classy: adjective, class·i·er, class·i·est. Informal .
of high class, rank, or grade; stylish; admirably smart; elegant.
It's such a beautiful word, because it is only used by people who themselves are not classy, and you know that they're not classy when you hear them say the word "classy."
And for the record, I love the word knickers, and I think it's most suited to being exclaimed joyfully in a Brittish accent.
As for "slacks" the best sentence for that word is "those shoes would go well with a nice latte capri slack."
classy: adjective, class·i·er, class·i·est. Informal .
of high class, rank, or grade; stylish; admirably smart; elegant.
It's such a beautiful word, because it is only used by people who themselves are not classy, and you know that they're not classy when you hear them say the word "classy."
And for the record, I love the word knickers, and I think it's most suited to being exclaimed joyfully in a Brittish accent.
As for "slacks" the best sentence for that word is "those shoes would go well with a nice latte capri slack."
73
I nominate "liaison," which you never see anywhere but on resumes where people are trying to make interacting with others sound like impressive job experience. And its ugly cousin "liaise" could disappear along with it.
75
@68 Yes! The only people who use the word "niggardly" are trying to evoke a more passionate response than whatever boring nonsense they're blathering on about would normally deserve (nevermind the fact that using the word "niggardly" ALWAYS distracts from whatever they were talking about in the first place).
My official vote would go to "irregardless," which is a total non-word. It's not even a real word, but you'd never know that from the number of people who use it in place of "regardless" (a perfectly fine word), when it should mean the opposite of regardless (e.g. irreversible = not reversible). I think that word pisses me off more than any other commonly used word.
See also: "inflammable."
My official vote would go to "irregardless," which is a total non-word. It's not even a real word, but you'd never know that from the number of people who use it in place of "regardless" (a perfectly fine word), when it should mean the opposite of regardless (e.g. irreversible = not reversible). I think that word pisses me off more than any other commonly used word.
See also: "inflammable."
76
The only words in either the article in the comments so far that truly deserve any hate are "guesstimate" and "irregardless." Everything else can slide, but guesstimate and irregardless have got to go.
That my browser's spellchecker isn't giving either of them a red underline is causing me near physical pain.
That my browser's spellchecker isn't giving either of them a red underline is causing me near physical pain.
78
I don't think that people knowingly misuse "literally"; it seems to me that, when it's used incorrectly, it's deliberate hyperbole. Of course the conference wasn't "literally" mind-blowing, but suggesting that walls were physically painted with brain matter makes for a funnier exaggeration than the phrase "mind-blowing" all by itself.
79
Meant to say I don't think that people misuse "literally" unknowingly; that is, the "misuse" of "literally" in the context described is generally deliberate.
80
It was a little weird that the author of the original article criticized someone for having issues with deceptively which clearly has problems of clarity.
From thefreedictionary.com (which is possibly getting this from the AHD):
Usage Note: When "deceptively" is used to modify an adjective, the meaning is often unclear. Does the sentence "The pool is deceptively shallow" mean that the pool is shallower or deeper than it appears? When the Usage Panel was asked to decide, 50 percent thought the pool shallower than it appears, 32 percent thought it deeper than it appears, and 18 percent said it was impossible to judge. Thus a warning notice worded in such a way would be misinterpreted by many of the people who read it, and others would be uncertain as to which sense was intended. Where the context does not make the meaning of deceptively clear, the sentence should be rewritten, as in "The pool is shallower than it looks" or "The pool is shallow, despite its appearance."
From thefreedictionary.com (which is possibly getting this from the AHD):
Usage Note: When "deceptively" is used to modify an adjective, the meaning is often unclear. Does the sentence "The pool is deceptively shallow" mean that the pool is shallower or deeper than it appears? When the Usage Panel was asked to decide, 50 percent thought the pool shallower than it appears, 32 percent thought it deeper than it appears, and 18 percent said it was impossible to judge. Thus a warning notice worded in such a way would be misinterpreted by many of the people who read it, and others would be uncertain as to which sense was intended. Where the context does not make the meaning of deceptively clear, the sentence should be rewritten, as in "The pool is shallower than it looks" or "The pool is shallow, despite its appearance."
81
"Foodie" is an objectively awful (non-) word, but it is at least one of those terms that lets you know where you stand with the person using it (that is, OPPOSED).
I said earlier I didn't believe in banning words, what with free speech and all, but @47 reminded me of the one word that is so horrifying, it should never, ever be used again.
I said earlier I didn't believe in banning words, what with free speech and all, but @47 reminded me of the one word that is so horrifying, it should never, ever be used again.
82
"crepuscular" is awful, like the tongue tumbling down a flight of stairs. To hear it said for the first time you would not automatically assume it to be synonymous with "twilight."
83
Credit for language where credit is due. Is there a better word for a White Castle or Krystal burger than a slider?
84
If "foodie" is bad, how do you feel about "drinkie"? I consider myself a drinkie, or maybe a drunkie. Is that OK? *hic*
85
Oh shit, I just remembered, "artisanal."
@83 - No, there isn't. Which is exactly why it's such a horrifying word.
@83 - No, there isn't. Which is exactly why it's such a horrifying word.
86
Moist is always popular -- or unpopular -- in discussions of most hated words. @44 is correct about young people never using the word slacks, other than maybe as a present tense verb -- "he slacks off". Aside from those two, all the words have been nominated for being overused/misused, which is really an offense on the part of society and not the fault of the individual words. I agree with @19 -- rural and juror are horrendous words phonetically speaking. I'd have liked to see this list approached from a more phonetic standpoint.
87
Ugh.
"Magical".
Please, give me back awesome, excellent, terrific, I can take them, they are generic enough to simply glide by without much of a bump. But lately, people I know, particularly people of the vaginal persuasion, are having magical parties, a magical time, spending magical weekends out of town, and I want to slap them back into this non-magical dimension every fucking time I hear it.
Hold the glitter, girls.
"Magical".
Please, give me back awesome, excellent, terrific, I can take them, they are generic enough to simply glide by without much of a bump. But lately, people I know, particularly people of the vaginal persuasion, are having magical parties, a magical time, spending magical weekends out of town, and I want to slap them back into this non-magical dimension every fucking time I hear it.
Hold the glitter, girls.
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