Michigan’s LSSU Releases 2020’s Banned Word List

The list of words that should be banned in 2020 is out. Every year, Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste Marie compiles a "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness." This year will be their 45th annual list. Last year the words on the list included "collusion", "grapple" and "eschew".

According to MLive.com, this year's most nominated word (or in this case, phrase) is "quid pro quo," a phrase used in the English speaking world for 500 years - and overused constantly in Washington D.C. in 2019.

Also on the list, a word I've never heard anyone use (in the form they describe) - "chirp". To "chirp" someone apparently means to insult them.

Some of the other words nominated this year are: "artisanal", "literally", "jelly" (the abbreviated form of 'jealous'), "totes" (the abbreviated form of 'totally') and the phrase, "OK, Boomer".

Thank God. I was getting tired of being "chirped" with that term.

Here's the story.