Last week, after more than 25 years of trying, one of my nominations finally made Lake Superior State University's Annual List of Banished Words. My contribution was "First Dude". Why did that that phrase bother me? As I told LSSU, "Skateboard English is not an appropriate way to refer to the spouse of a high-ranking public official." Even if that public official is Sarah Palin.
Now another institution of higher learning in my home state has joined the effort to improve the English language. The Word Warriors at Wayne State University want "to help rejuvenate the language we love by advocating for words of style and substance that see far too little use."
To which I say, "Hear, hear!"
Right now, the WSU Word Warriors are holding tryouts, and you're invited to give them an "upperdown vote" (free registration required). The words are cahoots, charlatan, defenestrate, disabuse, farrago, galoshes, higgledy-piggledy, insouciance, mendacious, mercurial, obsequious, osculation, paramount, quixotic, resplendent, sagacity, skullduggery, sublime, supercilious, and sycophant.
Ah yes, mendacious. Out of necessity, I gave it a thumbs-up. About a year ago, I earned an HR for using mendacious to describe one of Hillary Rodham Clinton's statements about Iraq. I've also used charlatan (actually, "overstuffed charlatan") to describe Pastor Rick Warren, and sycophant to describe various right-wing pundits. How sagacious of me!
I don't want to launch a fusillade at the Word Warriors (especially since I've never worn the uniform and don't own a firearm), but I do have a list of words I'd like to see restored to their rightful place in the Queen's English. They include:
Befuddled. The English language is filled with synonyms for "drunk". This is one of the more underappreciated ones.
Defalcation. Legalese from old bankruptcy law that deserves to be brought back to describe Bernie Madoff-scale financial misconduct.
Despot. We've abandoned this fine word in favor of the flaccid "dictator", "strongman", or plain old "ruler".
Folderol. "Foolishness" and "nonsense" have risen to record levels, making the revival of this word a priority.
Gobbeldygook. Not to be confused with "bafflegab". The former is the result of inadequate control over one's writing; the latter is a deliberate attempt to confuse.
High dudgeon. I actually used a variant of this phrase as a screen name on another blog.
Insolent. A commentator used this term to describe Blackwater CEO Erik Prince's responses to members of a congressional committee. No less an adjective suffices.
Pantywaist. Attacking an opponent's masculinity is a staple of right-wing rhetoric, but can't anyone on that side of the spectrum do it with style?
Rank. Short and sweet pungent. The 2008 Detroit "Lions" were not merely "hapless" or "pathetic", they were "rank".
Robust. This word is used frequently by Canadians, especially when referring to political debate. It's not often heard south of the border. Perhaps because our debate isn't very robust.
Sinuous. Brought to you by the letter "S".
Twaddle. The Internet has given us access to vast quantities of bad writing. So much, in fact, that we need to draw distinctions among varieties of bad writing. "Twaddle" perfectly describes the introspective, jargon-laden prose that litters many people's blogs.
Wastrel. One definition is "one who expends resources foolishly and self-indulgently". Rather sums up the last 10 years...or maybe the last 30.
And we should step up our imports of British words like bollocks, daft, lager lout, and own goal. But in return, we should retire the overused at the end of the day.
How say you, Kossacks? Are there words that you think have fallen into disuse and deserve the proverbial new lease on life?