University of Michigan launches annual list of prohibited words and phrases for 2021

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Even while vaccines are being launched to fight coronavirus, word experts at Lake Superior State University in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula say they want to kick any trace of the English language.

“COVID-19” and “social distance” are added with “we are all in this together”, “very cautiously” and “in these uncertain times” in the school’s carefree list of prohibited words and phrases for 2021.

Of the more than 1,450 nominations sent to the school, some 250 words and suggested terms for banning overuse, misuse or uselessness had something to do with the virus.

Seven of the 10 selected are connected to the virus, with “COVID-19” at the front. “Unprecedented”, which was banned in 2002, has been restored to the list.

“To be sure, COVID-19 is unprecedented in causing damage and destroying lives,” members of the Banned Word List committee said on Thursday in a statement. “But it’s also over-reliance on ‘unprecedented’ to frame things, so you have to go, too.”

The school in Sault Ste. Marie has compiled the list every year since 1976, which says “defend, protect and support excellence in language, encouraging the avoidance of words and terms that are overloaded, redundant, oxymoronic, clichés, illogical, meaningless. – and otherwise ineffective, confusing or annoying. “

So far, more than 1,000 words or phrases have made the list. Referrals come from all over the United States and several other countries.

Joining former honorees, such as “absolutely”, “BFF”, “covfefe” and “you know” are:

– COVID-19 (COVID, coronavirus, Rona). “A large number of nominees are clearly resentful of the virus and how it has passed our vocabulary,” wrote the committee. “No matter how necessary or socially and medically useful those words are, the committee cannot help but wish that we could ban them together with the virus itself.”

– Social distancing. “This phrase is useful, because wearing a mask and keeping your distance has a huge effect in preventing the spread of the infection,” members said. “But we would be lying if we said that we were not ready for that phrase to become ‘useless’.”

– We’re in this together.

– With great caution (several phrases).

– In these uncertain times (several phrases).

– Pivot. “Reporters, commentators, talking heads and others in the media mention how everyone should adapt to the coronavirus through contactless delivery, virtual learning, sidewalk collection, video conferencing, remote work and other urgent adjustments,” wrote the committee. “This is all true and vital. But basketball players pivot; let’s keep it up. “

– Unprecedented.

– Karen. “What started as an anti-racist criticism of the behavior of white women in response to blacks and browns has become a misogynist term to criticize the excessively emotional behavior of women,” said the committee.

– Sus, short for “suspect”.

– I know right?

“The real world worries the word watchdogs concerned this year, mainly COVID-19, and that makes sense,” Lake Superior State President Rodney Hanley said in the statement. “In a way, perhaps this list will help to ‘flatten the curve’, which was also being considered for banning. We believe that your ‘new normal’ – another candidate among the nominations – for the next year will not have to include that anymore. “