Words that are “Lamethetic”
IN THE NEWS: According to FOX News, higher education may actually speed up mental decline when it comes to fumbling for words later in life. "Participants in the new study, all more than 70 years old, were tested up to four times between 1993 and 2000 on their ability to recall 10 common words read aloud to them. People with more education were found to have a steeper decline over the years in their ability to remember the list, according to a new study detailed in the current issue of the journal Research on Aging."
(I think it's already happening to me)
Okay, I love this. Lake Superior State University has released its annual "List of Words and Phrases Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness."
What words or phrases are ripe for the picking for banishment?
Well, here’s just a few:
TRUTHINESS
ASK YOUR DOCTOR
CHIPOTLE
GONE/WENT MISSING
AWESOME
WE'RE PREGNANT
and
COMBINED CELEBRITY NAMES: (ex. Brangelina and my personal nails-running-down-the-chalk-board favorite: “TomKat”) Critics of the media for creating those celebrity names like “Bennifer” said, “It’s annoying, idiotic and so lame and pathetic that it’s ‘lamethetic.’”
I couldn’t agree more. (And I love that "word" lamethetic.)
That article started me thinking (yes, dangerous) about overused words I use when I write. I'm sure you could pick out a few from just how I write in my blog, but since you’re too kind to point them out, I’ll do it for you.
**I love the “LY” adverbs. That’s right. I’m not prejudiced. I love them all. If it has an ly on the end, I’ve probably used it. See? I just did it again.
**I also seem to love the words: THAT, JUST, EVEN, SO, BUT and WELL. You know, a few years ago, a critique partner once told me I used the word “just” 44 times in one chapter.
Ooops.
I’ve since corrected my ways…
Do you have a word or phrase that you overuse?
(Oh, and have a non-lamethetic weekend! )
5 comments:
Girl, I've developed my own personal editing checklist because I've been told I repeat myself so much! Right now there are 40 words/phrases on the list which includes: "that," "was," "nodded," "perfect," "considering," and "sighed."
My word is "that."
It's amazing how many times we can use it unnecessarily!
I have a bad habit of using character names over and over and over.....of course "that" is never far away either.
I have a chose set of words too. That is one of them. Others are warm, cold, the man, and I tend to use the character names less than I should.
The 'ly' words don't seemed to be a problem for me.
At least, I hope not!
Theresa
'Chortle' and elipses, you know, the dot dot dots. I use them WAY too much. I love the word chortle but can only get away with it once or twice per novel. Bummer.
Oh, I've your link up on the FIRST blog. Thanks for putting the button up!
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