‘If you could permanently ban a word from permanent usage, which would it be and why?‘

This word truly gives me the boak, as we say here in Glasgow – it makes me want to vomit!

It’s been around for eons, of course. Well, the mid 1600s apparently. (Isn’t it amazing what we can find out these days? Seems the first recorded use of this word was in 1641 in the writings of some geezer -or geezeress – called J. Finch.)

I first noticed the word being used during the pandemic of 2020. Our Prime Minister and his Treasurer of the time were very fond of the word, and bandied it about at every opportunity.

Steering away very quickly from any possible political debate, it seems everyone in the UK holding a position of responsibility, quickly cottoned on. Now, there’s hardly a day goes by without someone spouting this word. from Prime Minister to council leader; from to newsreader to weather presenter; from governing bodies of sport to your local football team manager.

You’ll hear this word every time “ …you are now in queue position number twenty-five” when you phone anyone from your dentist to your bank. Why?

Because of an ‘unprecedented‘ number of calls being experienced, apparently.

Yup – that’s the word.

Not only is ‘unprecedented’ overused, it’s become a catch-all, lame word for ‘failure to prepare.’ In fact, it’s simply a by-word for failure.

And it does my head in!

Get rid!