LSSU published its annual list of banished words. One of the words offered for permanent banishment is “awesome”:

AWESOME — Given a one-year moratorium in 1984, when the Unicorn Hunters banished it “during which it is to be rehabilitated until it means ‘fear mingled with admiration or reverence; a feeling produced by something majestic.” Many write to tell us there’s no hope and it’s time for “the full banishment.”

“The kind of tennis shoes you wear, no matter how cute, don’t fit the majestic design of the word.” — Leila Hill, Damascus, Maryland.

“That a mop, a deodorant or a dating service can be called ‘awesome’ demonstrates the limited vocabularies of the country’s copywriters.” — Tom Brinkmoeller, Orlando, Florida.

“Overused and meaningless.’ My mother was hit by a car.’ Awesome. ‘I just got my college degree.’ Awesome.” — Robert Bron, Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand.

For the rest of the “awesome words,” I mean “interesting” words, check out Lake Superior State University’s site. After all, you don’t want to get “pwned.”

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