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JoshuaDunno about you, but the empty formula “What To Know” in every third news story has started to grate.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

Medievalists.netFrom Churl to Cur - here are ten medieval insults! <a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2024/12/10-medieval-insults/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.medievalists.net/2024/12/10-medieval-insults/</a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/insults" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#insults</a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/medieval" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#medieval</a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/Englishlanguage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Englishlanguage</a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaI am calling for a moratorium on all forms of the word “test” in headlines, except to refer to literal tests (e.g., the SAT). It means nothing in particular, other than to herald the presence of a readymade media narrative or trope.On second thought - keep using it. It tells me what stories to ignore. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

Terry Hunter☑️🌈⭐✌🏼✌🏿✌🏻✌🏽<a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWordsALot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWordsALot</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ISayBadWordsALot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ISayBadWordsALot</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWordsAlot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWordsAlot</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Word" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Word</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Words</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Art</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Speech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Speech</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Good" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Good</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Bad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Bad</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Subjective" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Subjective</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Context" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Context</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Sociology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sociology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Psychology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Psychology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordToYourMother" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordToYourMother</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordsToYourMothers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordsToYourMothers</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/RichardPryor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RichardPryor</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Pryor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Pryor</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Comedy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Comedy</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/God" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#God</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Genius" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Genius</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Profane" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Profane</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Profound" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Profound</a>

Terry Hunter☑️🌈⭐✌🏼✌🏿✌🏻✌🏽<a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWordsALot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWordsALot</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ISayBadWordsALot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ISayBadWordsALot</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Word" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Word</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Words</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Art</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Speech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Speech</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Good" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Good</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Bad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Bad</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Subjective" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Subjective</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Context" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Context</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Sociology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sociology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Psychology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Psychology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordToYourMother" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordToYourMother</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordsToYourMothers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordsToYourMothers</a>

Terry Hunter☑️🌈⭐✌🏼✌🏿✌🏻✌🏽<a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/SayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ISayBadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ISayBadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Word" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Word</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Words</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Art</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Speech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Speech</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Good" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Good</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Bad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Bad</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Subjective" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Subjective</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Context" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Context</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Sociology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sociology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Psychology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Psychology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordToYourMother" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordToYourMother</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordsToYourMothers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordsToYourMothers</a>

Terry Hunter☑️🌈⭐✌🏼✌🏿✌🏻✌🏽<a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BadWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BadWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Word" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Word</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWord</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/GoodWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GoodWords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Words</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Art</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Speech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Speech</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Good" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Good</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Bad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Bad</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Subjective" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Subjective</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Context" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Context</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Sociology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sociology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Psychology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Psychology</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordToYourMother" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordToYourMother</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/WordsToYourMothers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WordsToYourMothers</a>

JoshuaThursday’s bad word is this week’s third and last: “likely” as an adverb, meaning “probably.”Example: “You will likely ignore this, but…”Perhaps it’s a generational grievance, but likely-as-adverb sets my teeth on edge. Not every word ending in -ly is an adverb; just think of “friendly.”Probably most of you will think I’m being silly, though. That’s the most likely outcome. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaWednesday’s bad word: “ask” as a noun, meaning a request or a goal in a negotiation. “What’s our ask today?” If “an ask” is the answer, what was the question?<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaI’ve got three <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a> in store this week. Let’s start with “gift” as a verb. What was wrong with “give,” anyway?

JoshuaThe bad word for today is “circle back.” It means to come back or return, e.g., to a topic of discussion. Example: “Let’s move on for now and circle back to this agenda item later.”It’s not the worst expression I can think of, but it suffers from over-use.(It’s time I paused this series of <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a> posts. I may return to it later.)

JoshuaThis Wednesday’s bad word is “pushback,” meaning opposition, resistance, protest, dissent, disapproval, disagreement, objection, demurral, etc. I can scarcely think of any circumstances where “pushback” would be the best choice.Dare to differ. Just say no to “pushback.”<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaToday’s bad word is “feedback,” in the sense of a response, comment, evaluation, criticism, correction, or counseling by management. Like so much org-speak, it smacks of insincerity.Example: “We welcome your feedback! Please leave us a 5/5 review.”<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaIt’s Monday, and today’s bad word is “very.”How bad is “very”? It’s very bad. Depending on context, one might even say poor, weak, stale, tired, hard, or any of a variety of other choices that convey meaning without exaggeration.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaFriday’s bad word is really a bad clause: “It is worth noting.”At best, that’s an example of throat-clearing, making empty noises at the start of a sentence. But it also tends to subvert itself. Add one letter and you get a hidden message: it is worth nothing.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaThursday’s bad word is “unpack,” as in, “Let’s unpack that question.”There are any number of ways to express this thought besides an ungainly metaphor about baggage: consider, discuss, talk about, analyze, dissect, break down, study, think about. Vary your verbs!<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaFor Wednesday, your bad word is “utilize.” George Orwell gives it as an example of the “pretentious, latinized style” of bad writers and public speakers.As the drivers on the DC Metro tell riders, “Please utilize all doors.” Perhaps we could simply use the doors. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaTuesday’s bad word is “lessons learned,” meaning “lessons.”<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaFrom Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” (1946):“The sole aim of a metaphor is to call up a visual image. When these images clash – as in The Fascist octopus has sung its swan song, the jackboot is thrown into the melting pot – it can be taken as certain that the writer is not seeing a mental image of the objects he is naming… he is not really thinking.”<a href="https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/politics-and-the-english-language/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/politics-and-the-english-language/</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

JoshuaAn early happy Monday! In honor of the workweek, today’s bad word is “tiger team,” meaning a committee or working group.We all know that tigers like to hunt solo, right? They’re not natural team players.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/badwords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#badwords</a>

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