LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY
The tradition created by the late W. T. Rabe, former public relations director at Lake Superior State University, begins its fifth decade with this year’s annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.
Rabe and fellow LSSU faculty and staff came up with the first list of words and phrases that people love to hate at a New Year’s Eve party in 1975, publishing it on Jan. 1, 1976. Though he and his friends created the first list from their own pet peeves about language, Rabe said he knew from the volume of mail he received in the following weeks that the group would have no shortage of words and phrases from which to choose for 1977. Since then, the list has consisted entirely of nominations received from around the world throughout the year.
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BAE
One of the top nominees.
“Meaning ‘before anyone else.’ How stupid! Stop calling your boyfriend ‘bae’.” — Evie Dunagan, Manheim, Penn.
“It’s overused. I heard someone refer to their ramen noodles as ‘bae’! If I was putting someone ‘before anything else,’ I would respect them enough to use their name.” — S. Thoms, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
“The most annoying term of affection to show up in years. Also, the concept ‘before anybody else,’ developed AFTER the word became popular. Reason enough for it to be banned. – Blan Wright, Sugar Hill, Ga.
“A dumb, annoying word.” — James Becker, Holly, Mich.
“I’d rather be called ‘babe’ than ‘bae’ any day.” — Alexsis Outwater, Bronson, Mich.
POLAR VORTEX
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