- Categories:
- Special Interest
- Tags:
- BooksEducationalFun
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every January 1
- Holiday emoji:
- 📝
New Year’s Dishonor List Day kicks off each January 1 by spotlighting words and phrases deemed overused and worthy of banishment. Lake Superior State University has championed this linguistic purge since 1976, inviting nominations from the public. Join the fun by submitting your own pet peeves, reviewing past lists, and advocating for clearer communication.
Want to sponsor New Year’s Dishonor List Day? Learn how
History of New Year’s Dishonor List Day
New Year’s Dishonor List Day was first celebrated by Lake Superior State University in 1976. The university’s Public Relations, Director W.T. Rabe, began the practice of celebrating this day by honoring the English Language through the removal and dishonoring of words that were considered useless and redundant in the language. At that new year’s party, a list of words and phrases was created and published for banishment.
Despite the slow media coverage on New Year’s Day, that list gained much attention, and so became an annual event, observed as New Year’s Dishonor List Day. In 2020, as people grew tired and sick of the words and phrases related to COVID-19, more than 1,500 nominations for words and phrases were received by the university, and the No.1 ranked suggested word for banishment was ‘COVID-19.’
While maintaining and emphasizing the need to keep the English Language well-adjusted and polished, and to preserve its overall excellence, the university strongly discourages the use of overused, ‘exhausted,’ and redundant words and phrases. And it is for this reason we observe the New Year’s Dishonor List Day on January 1.
New Year’s Dishonor List Day timeline
The first Dishonor List is compiled by the Lake Superior State University, comprising selected words and phrases to be banished from the language.
Seeing the success of the first Dishonor List, the university decides to make it an annual event.
As the P.R. Director W.T. Rabe retires, New Year’s Dishonor List Day already enjoys massive coverage as C.N.N. begins reporting it.
2021 nominations are received from foreign countries such as Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, and England.
New Year’s Dishonor List Day FAQs
When is New Year’s Dishonor List Day?
In 2027, New Year’s Dishonor List Day will be observed on Friday, January 1, offering a fresh start to purge linguistic pet peeves. This annual tradition encourages a mindful approach to language right from the year’s beginning.
How long has the Dishonor List been published?
By 2027, the Dishonor List will mark its 52nd year of publication, continuing its tradition of spotlighting words and phrases that have become overused. The list has become a cultural touchstone for language enthusiasts.
How are words nominated for the Dishonor List?
Nominations for the Dishonor List are crowdsourced, allowing anyone to submit words or phrases they believe are overused or misused. This democratic process ensures the list reflects current linguistic frustrations felt by a broad audience.
What is the purpose of the New Year's Dishonor List?
The list aims to encourage linguistic awareness and a more mindful approach to vocabulary. By publicly ‘banning’ certain words, Lake Superior State University hopes to inspire writers and speakers to seek out fresh, original expressions.
How to celebrate New Year’s Dishonor List Day
Look for a word
There are so many words that you might hate or wouldn’t want to use. Note them down.
Nominate it and share it
Compile your selected list of words or phrases and send it to L.S.S.U., Michigan.
Invite others to do it as well
Once you have made your list, invite and encourage others to do the same. Share your list on social media to gain attraction.
5 Facts About New Year’s Dishonor List
‘COVID-19’ has been banished
Among the nominated words for 2021 was ‘COVID-19,’ even appearing as No.1.
Thousands of nominations each year
Each year more than 1,500 nominations of words and phrases are received by the university to be banished.
‘Karen’ and ‘Sus’ bite the dust
Words like ‘Karen’ and ‘Sus’ also made it to the final dishonor list of 2021.
More than 800 words banished
Since the first New Year’s Dishonor List Day, more than 800 words and phrases have been dishonored and banished.
An ever-growing list
It is an ever-growing, situation-adaptable list of words and phrases suggested for banishment in order to preserve the excellence of the English Language.
Why We Love New Year’s Dishonor List Day
It seeks to preserve the excellence of the language
There are over one million words in the English Language, and the dictionary adds more every year. There is a need to couch the vocabulary with exotic words that bring beauty to the language and not pollute it with slang and overused, exhausted words and phrases.
Too many slang words and phrases
The culture of coining new words that are slang, and making them trend on social media after they have become hackneyed needs to be pushed back and confined to social media. A normal day-to-day conversation should feel and sound polite and decent, not like a rap battle.
The search to banish words builds vocabulary
Those who embark on a mission to get a few words and phrases banished from the language may learn new words in the process, hence building your vocabulary. This will be a win-win for all, a true “addition by subtraction.”
