CBS, NBC Highlight List That Advocates Ban of Two Terms Coined by Sarah Palin
The Early Show on CBS and NBC’s Today show on Friday both gave attention to Lake Superior State University’s "list of words that should be banned in 2011 because of overuse or general uselessness," and both shows mentioned one or two words made famous by Sarah Palin as each show listed four or five out of the 14 words tallied. Both CBS’s Betty Nguyen and NBC’s Thomas Roberts noted the inclusion of "refudiate" on the list, but CBS also mentioned that the term "mama grizzlies" made the cut.
Two years ago, the Today show also noted the inclusion of the term "first dude" - made famous by Palin during the 2008 election - when the 2009 edition of the list came out. On the January 5, 2009, Today show, co-host Meredith Vieira labeled the term as "a little goofy." Notably, co-host Matt Lauer fretted about the inclusion of the word "green," as in "going green," on the 2009 list as he asserted, "I don’t think that should be banished. I mean, we should talk more about that one."
Below are transcripts of relevant portions of CBS’s The Early Show and NBC’s Today show from Friday, December 31, 2010, followed by the January 5, 2009, Today show:
#From the December 31, 2010, The Early Show on CBS:
BETTY NGUYEN: And the list of words that should be banned in 2011 because of overuse or general uselessness is out this morning. The number one word on the annual list compiled by Lake Superior State University is "viral," linked to online videos. Number two is "epic," as a substitute for the word "awesome." And Sarah Palin was honored with two on the list - "refudiate" and "mama grizzlies."
#From the December 31, 2010, Today show on NBC:
THOMAS ROBERTS: All right, so a Michigan school is out with the annual list of worst phrases that should be banished in the new year 2011. Among the 14 chosen, "viral," "epic," "bff" - or "best friends forever" - "I’m just sayin’," and the word made popular by Sarah Palin, "refudiate."
#From the January 5, 2009, Today show:
ANN CURRY: We got "green" or "going green" is also another one.
MATT LAUER: See, I don’t think that should be banished.
AL ROKER: No.
LAUER: I mean, we should talk more about that one.
MEREDITH VIEIRA: "First dude." "First dude" is a little goofy.
CURRY: Yeah.
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Comments
I like mama grizzlie better
Submitted by ricklail on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 3:54pm.
I like mama grizzlie better than soceer mom. They need to refudiated the clowns on CBS's Morning Show. Oop, I think the viewers have done that. How about adding the word "pukes" to describe idiots like Lauer, Vieira, Curry, Roeker and Thomas.
Their "reasoning" is that
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 4:40pm.
Their "reasoning" is that Unless you are referring to a scientific study of Ursus arctos horribilis...the term "mama grizzly" is invalid.
So what validated the term "soccer mom"?
She did call herself "hockey
Submitted by ricklail on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 4:41pm.
She did call herself "hockey mom" at one time. I guess they'll go after that too. I think the mama grizzly is more appropriate on how furiously they will protect their young. These idiots would never figure that out. Way above their reasoning or lack thereof.
And yet, Lauer doesn't think
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 4:43pm.
And yet, Lauer doesn't think that "green" and "going green" are a little goofy.
Good grief. To quote the "mama grizzly" critic...unless you are referring to a secondary color in the color wheel......and just how do you "go" a color, anyway??
Mother
Submitted by ricklail on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:18pm.
These elitist yahoos in NYC and LA have no concept of the culture in Alaska. They continue to make fun of Sarah Palin and the way she talks. I've been watching a series entitled Cold Drillers about the men and women working drilling rigs in the northern Canada. They say "you bet cha" a lot too. It is just part of the culture for the area.
The snobs never had a
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:31pm.
The snobs never had a problem with the Kennedys and their Bawstun accent. Sarah is a lot easier to understand than that clan.
Can you imagine President
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 10:29pm.
Can you imagine President Palin giving a state of the union speech and using you betcha a number of times. Talk about heads exploding.
Ban all liberals..
Submitted by jkwtrading on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 4:41pm.
Ban all liberals..
"Green"
Submitted by JustAl on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 5:01pm.
Given a choice I will choose the product that does not use "green" anything! This juvenile marketing phrase is insulting. Sort of like "organic" vegitables. I suppose that the argument can be made that ceramic vegitables are inorganic, but. . .
Well, if we're banning
Submitted by Model850 on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 5:18pm.
If we're banning words based on "overuse or general uselessness," my nomination is:
OBAMA
Can't get more useless than that.
I'm just sayin'....
Hope and Change.... now
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 6:06pm.
Hope and Change.... now there's an overused and generally useless couple of words In fact, they are more of a comedy punchline now..
on the other hand...
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 6:09pm.
President Obama: contradiction
President Reagan: redundant
Lake Superior State University?
Submitted by neutron on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:21pm.
Are they serious? Lake Superior State University? I thought the MSM were all Ivy League and all that "big school" prestige stuff.
No offence to Lake Superior State University, but they put the "po" in podunk. Their web site gives directions to their teeny-tiny campus: "Sault Ste. Marie is at the northernmost end of I-75; travel on I-75 to exit 394 (the last before Canadian toll bridge)..." I don't know who is ashamed of who, but the lssu.edu web site does not mention Michigan (where it's located). They're not even on Lake Superior; they are on a river that connects Lake Superior to tiny little Lake George (that dwarfs LSSU in size).
Looking in their Alumni News, the school is not known for luminaries or Nobel Prize winners. I'm sure their alumni are nice people, but here are the highlights: "...completed the (Guiness record) World's Largest Slab of Fudge," "...named Assistant Professor- Pharmacy Practice at South Dakota State University," "...received [award] for her outstanding contribution to... the Chippewa County Historical Society," "vice president of perishable marketing... a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania," "vice chair of the West Michigan Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council." I'm underwhelmed.
I supposed that Keith Olberman -- who graduated from the agriculture sub-branch of Cornell -- would be impressed by this prestigious school, but surely not the MSM!
Hmmm... Sarah Palin started at the University of Hawaii in Hilo and received her bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism in 1987 from the University of Idaho. Both are MUCH more well known and academically recognized than Lake Superior State University, but I digress.
It looks like some liberal English professor at Lake Superior State University got the bright idea that if they made an annual list of "stupid and over-used words" and included words that are favored by people that the MSM love to hate, their otherwise unknown school would make a little news and be able to be found in a web search engine.
I am not impressed. How pitiful that the MSM lacks the gravitas to make their own pronouncements of what is "cool" and "passe," such that they must use a podunk little school with little else of note as the arbitrator of what words to stop using. What's next? Snooky replacing "Miss Manners" as the source of social ettiquette for the MSM?
"neutron" and his colleges
Submitted by neutron on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:35pm.
If you're interested, you can read the whole list of colleges and universities I attended on my web site, but my undergraduate degree is from UCLA. Financial constraints prevented me from completing my graduate school sojourn. So don't denigrate me, I'm from a well known school: University of California Los Angeles.
Eh, it's LSSU's thing. Has
Submitted by mustango on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 10:33pm.
Eh, it's LSSU's thing. Has been since 1977. If you can get past the political leanings -- which, what are you expecting from a university? -- there's a lot of entries every year we can all get behind. Like "epic" and "fail".
Nothin' like an attack on the
Submitted by bkeyser on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:30pm.
Nothin' like an attack on the 1st Amendment to ring in the new year.
The word "reporter"should be
Submitted by the struggler on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 7:43pm.
The word "reporter"should be banned when describing these fools.
No more "optics" and "metrics"
Submitted by nkviking75 on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 8:36pm.
Two words from Washington-speak need to be eliminated from use: "Optics" (how something looks to the American People) and "Metrics" (a standard of measurement, or statistics). YUCK!
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
an annual tradition
Submitted by michiganruth on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 11:21pm.
#13 above may not be too impressed, but all of us English majors, writers, and unofficial word lovers have known about LSSU for years. the group was known in the early days as the Unicorn Hunters; their founder died a few years ago. the organization still performs a valuable service, telling us what words are too annoying to use.
and uh, #16, with the "first amendment" concern? this is HUMOR. you apparently missed that.
as far as "refudiate," I happen to think that's a great word, and I plan to use it a lot. (I also liked Bush's "misunderestimate" which I use as well.) so I don't agree there, but "epic"? yeah. please...no more "epic fail" I beg you...
Humor?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 12:28pm.
I don't know about you, but suggesting the banishment of any word from the English language isn't something I find "funny."
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Who cares about some
Submitted by Cowboy on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 1:35am.
Who cares about some self-appointed-elite academics 'banning' anything, much less words?
Know what is overused?
Articles by academics...
Funny... I didn't see
Submitted by Cowboy on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 1:42am.
Funny... I didn't see 'teabagger' on their list...
#19 posted by michiganruth
Submitted by neutron on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 2:25am.
#19 posted by michiganruth said "#13 above may not be too impressed, but all of us English majors, writers, and unofficial word lovers have known about LSSU for years. . . the organization still performs a valuable service, telling us what words are too annoying to use." (emphasis mine)
Well, l posted #13. Besides being a research scientist, I'm a mystery / thriler writer with three publishers, and as a symphonic composer, I've sold a cantata for double choir and cathedral organ. I have other works in progress and I plan on publishing more in science, literature and music.
I guess I'm not a "real writer" like you and your chums, so I guess you all will look down on me for resisting the trend you describe that allows LSSU to define what lingo is cool and what's not.
Diane Keaton discovered during Annie Hall, that she looked great in that wardrobe. Later, when the style fad had faded, she was asked why she still wore the "Annie Hall style." She said something like "I don't look good in what's in right now. Why should I wear what I look bad in?"
I don't care if LSSU declares some words in or out. When I grew up in southern Caifornia, we never considered academics from up-state Michigan as a source of fashion, trends or movements, which we ignored anyway, because lemmings are certainly uncool.
I hope that you ridicule me some more, and tell all your friends and colleagues how big an idiot I am, because all publicity is good publicity. As Samuel Goldwyn (MGM Studios) said, "Just spell my name right." Thank you!
Who stepped on Nutron's ego?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 12:49pm.
What's the matter, did someone step on your ego? You sure whine like they did!
WHEN will you people learn to stop insulting the intellectuals like Neutron, who brandish their credentials like a shield? Don't you know how important self esteem is to such people? Shame on you for your lack of sensitivity!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
The word "REFUDIATE" is, of
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 6:08am.
The word "REFUDIATE" is, of course, a brilliant addition to the English language. As such has been picked up by the Oxford English Dictionary.
If Obama or H. Clinton had coined it, the media would be marveling at how good it was, but as it was only Palin, they hate it.
It's painfully obvious.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Yeah, that may have been the
Submitted by balboa on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 2:14pm.
Yeah, that may have been the dumbest, most embarrassing publicity-driven thing the dictionary has ever done.
Sure -- The OED needs
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 9:26pm.
Sure -- The OED needs publicity. Just like Will Shakespear
That has to be the dumbest post you've made in a while bal. Seriously you need to check out the stringent criteria used by the OED to document our ever changing language that is English.
They do not make a value judgment of the new usages or coined terms, they merely chronicle any significant development. It is sort of THEIR JOB.
Someone somewhere has to come up with every word in existence. What a pity Palin derangers cannot even accept that in relation to her. Kinda pathetic really.
It has now't to do with publicity lad.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Jack, "refudiate" is not a
Submitted by balboa on Sun, 01/02/2011 - 6:37pm.
Jack, "refudiate" is not a significant development. A misspelled word is not a significant development. Palin didn't create anything. She made a mistake.
Crypto-Dummy,
Submitted by The Vet on Mon, 01/03/2011 - 11:58pm.
Crypto-Dummy, Crypto-DummyCrypto-Dummy still failing to fill out the subject line. fill out the fill out the Whining about mispelled words when the Whining about mispelled words Whining about mispelled words crypto-dummy can't manage the simple step of filling out a can't manage the simple step can't manage the simple step can't manage the simple step subject line so we all don't have to be subjected to reading the first part of his subjected to reading the first part subjected to reading the first part subjected to reading the first part sentence twice.
KINDA HARD TO READ THAT WITH ALL THE REPETITIONS, HUH CRYPTO-DUMMY? Maybe if you filled out the subject line so we would not be subjected to your retardedness twice, it might be a little easier to read. See below for what I actually wrote.
Crypto-Dummy, still failing to fill out the subject line. Whining about mispelled words when the crypto-dummy can't manage the simple step of filling out a subject line so we all don't have to be subjected to reading the first part of his sentence twice.
You're an obsessed nutjob.
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Mon, 01/03/2011 - 6:08am.
bal -- you read like an obsessed nutjob.
Go argue with the OED.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
You're confusing me with the
Submitted by balboa on Mon, 01/03/2011 - 11:38pm.
You're confusing me with the Vet. ;-) I don't see anything obsessed with pointing out that Palin did not part the Red Sea. She made a blunder that doesn't mark any significant addition to the lexicon, other than in the school of mockery.
YOU are confusing us with people who give a squeek.
Submitted by The Vet on Mon, 01/03/2011 - 11:59pm.
You can't respect You can't respect You See pack sand can't respect the rest of us enough to fill in the subject line so we don't have to read your idiocy twice. So pack sand take turns with your crypto-dummy. Or take turns with your new buddy Binky and pack each others sand. You fill in the subject line would both get a kick out of that. a kick out of that.
Real intelligible with the constant repetitions ain't it? Oh Veet, don't call me crypto-dummies no more nah.
You can't respect the rest of us enough to fill in the subject line so we don't have to read your idiocy twice. So pack sand crypto-dummy. Or take turns with your new buddy Binky and pack each others sand. You would both get a kick out of that.
Newspeak Edition 11
Submitted by afellowpatriot on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 5:15pm.
"Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it." 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) Syme to Winston, Part 1, Chapter 5.
Did "Corpsemen"...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Sun, 01/02/2011 - 2:27am.
...make the list???
Of Course Not...
Didn't the term "going rogue"
Submitted by yutsnark on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 9:55am.
Didn't the term "going rogue" come out of the Palin campaign?