Words Are Words

What is a word you feel that too many people use?

Words that “too many” people use are generational. If “too many” people are using a particular word, that means it’s popular. But I don’t think it will be popular forever. The word probably won’t go away but I don’t think it will be perpetually overused. I remember my dad poking fun of my use of the word “cool” back when it first became used by the young kids to describe something not related to actual temperature. In fact, some of the young people I work with giggle and call me out when I use words that clearly show how “old” I am. While I’m not the oldest member of my team, I’m older than some of the other people. And apparently I come off as old when I use certain words. I can’t remember some of the words I’ve used lately but I have gotten to the point now that as soon as I say something, I can recognize that someone’s about to start laughing at me. I just roll with it at this point.

However, a quick Google search brought up some good points about words that really are overused now. And I can’t argue with these. I use them a lot, but some really use them a lot. Which is ironic given that the first one is the subject of a bunch of social media posts from various companies lately…

Then there’s this one, which is definitely used to an annoying degree by some people:

I think both of these may be overused by the young people, at least that’s what I’ve seen in videos posted online and also from my experience teaching middle school aged kids.

But again, I think as times change, words will change. Look at all that ridiculous slang that’s out there now. Skibidi?! What?! Soon those words will fall out of favor and a new generation of words will take its place. I remember a class that I took in college, “History of the English Language”. I wish I had finished the class. It started out interesting! But that was the semester I had to take off to heal my mental health. When I returned the next semester I took “Grammar” in its place since the history one wasn’t offered that semester. I could write a whole post about that class! My goodness! That final project alone almost killed me!

I could go on with this prompt and get philosophical with it and say people use words too much without meaning them. Like how I was always saying “sorry” and apologizing as a trauma response. I say it a lot less now. Obviously I say it when there’s something I’m truly sorry for, but I’m trying to not use it as a reflex when something triggers a negative feeling in me during a conversation or other encounter.

Anyway, my point being, I’m a little more patient with words than I think some people are. Words are words. Overused or not, it’s part of what makes us who we are. They’re engrained in our personalities. That’s pretty cool if you think about it.