Archived Lists

When in doubt, make your mother do it.

Just the other day I was posting about Lake Superior State University's magnificent list of Banished Words of 2007. And in my malaise I wondered idly whether or not LSSU ever posted the early years of the list. I mean, it was started in 1975 and all.

My mother writes me back with some delightful info. They have. So I scooted on over to the 1976 List of Banished Words and here are some of the choice tidbits I found:

Scenario - Spread like wildfire after Watergate. It can be roughly translated as "I don't know what had happened (or will happen) but this is a scenario." Means: "I'm making this up." Also used when reporter doesn't want to use "according to unimpeachable source."

Detente - Invented by Henry Kissinger. Nobody else knows what it means, and now even Kissinger has forgotten. [Before the year was out the president of the United States also banished "detente." Later, voters banished Kissinger and the president.]

At This Point in Time - Why not say "now," or "today?" Typical Delay-by-Elongation, giving subject at press conference time to think up plausible lie, e.g. "At this point in time we are, err, mmmmm, unaware of the allegation that the earth is round." -Queen Isabella.

You could not make this stuff up. I love it.