Do you say the following phrases: no worries… circle back… that being said…
You can’t anymore; they have been banished!
Well, not officially, but these phrases accompany nine others on Lake Superior State University’s annual list of “banished” words and phrases, an annual tradition dating back to 1976.
According to the university, the reason to eliminate the previously mentioned phrases are because:
No worries: Nominated by writers nationwide for misuse and overuse, this phrase incorrectly substitutes for “You’re welcome’” when someone says “Thank you.” A further bungling relates to insensitivity. “If I’m not worried, I don’t want anyone telling me not to worry,” a contributor explicated. “If I am upset, I want to discuss being upset.” Despite its meaninglessness, the term is recommended to emailers by Google Assistant.
Circle back: Treats colloquy like an ice skating rink, as if we must circle back to our previous location to return to a prior subject. Let’s circle back about why to banish this jargon. It’s a conversation, not the Winter Olympics. Opined a grammarian, “The most overused phrase in business, government, or other organization since ‘synergy’—which we banished in 2002 as evasive blanket terminology and smarty-pants puffery.
That being said: Nominators cited this phrase as verbal filler, redundant justification, and pompous posturing. For instance, “however” or “but”—even “that said”—does the job as a transition instead of the wordiness. “Go ahead and say what you want already!” demanded one entrant. That being said, its usefulness is certainly in doubt. As a commentator philosophized, “At the end of the day, if you will, it already has been.”
While the list is meant to be humorous, it’s also a reminder to be deliberate with your language and writing. You can read the entire list here.