Topic: fad words and phrases

[Jake]

Recently I was thinking about the "it" words. Words that are popular for a few years and then die off. You hear them everywhere, and they are often misused.

Two such words I'm noticing now are swagger and footprint

dictionary.com:

swag⋅ger
  /ˈswægər/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [swag-er] Show IPA
Use swagger in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1.    to walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air.
2.    to boast or brag noisily.
–verb (used with object)
3.    to bring, drive, force, etc., by blustering.
–noun
4.    swaggering manner, conduct, or walk; ostentatious display of arrogance and conceit.

foot⋅print
  /ˈfʊtˌprɪnt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [foot-print] Show IPA
Use footprint in a Sentence
–noun
1.    a mark left by the shod or unshod foot, as in earth or sand.
2.    an impression of the sole of a person's foot, esp. one taken for purposes of identification.
3.    Informal. the track of a tire, esp. on wet pavement.
4.    the area affected by an increase in the level of sound or noise, as that generated by an airplane.
5.    Telecommunications. the area of the earth's surface within which a communications satellite's signals can be received.
6.    Aerospace. the area within which it is predicted that a spacecraft or its debris will land.
7.    the surface space of a desk or tabletop occupied by a piece of equipment, esp. a microcomputer or related device.

I'm getting tired of hearing "swagger" every where. You can't watch half hour of tv without hearing someone say it.

can you guys think of any other current popular words or phrases? maybe some that have left us already?

[micah]

I think "It is what it is" is finally on the decline... at least I hope so.

[webwhy]

I want to claw my eyes out everytime some jackass drops "social media" in a meeting, which is quite often unfortunately

[PJYelton]

I'm hoping "REAL" falls out of favor soon, as in "Keeping it real" or "xxxx is for real"

[micah]

how 'bout "Shorty" (pronounced "shawty" or "shordy")

[hans]

'bout

For real, it's the same number of characters as about. The word footprint is the same. It's just that some shorties think it has more swagger.

But I guess it is what it is. It's just social media's way of being fashionable.

[hans]

Damn it's hard to work social media into a useless statement. Or, is it?

[charlie]

how 'bout "Shorty" (pronounced "shawty" or "shordy")

That is old school. I remember songs from 20 years ago talkin' 'bout shorty.

[Govtcheez]

Oh hey, I'm just  over here synergizing the paradigm

[Jake]

I'm hoping "REAL" falls out of favor soon, as in "Keeping it real" or "xxxx is for real"

I don't think this is a fad...it is entwined in our everyday language now. REAL has been used since I learned English.

I think "It is what it is" is finally on the decline... at least I hope so.

I don't hear that one too much.

'bout

especially when said with a Minnesotan accent

how 'bout "Shorty" (pronounced "shawty" or "shordy")

yup, there are maybe two r&b songs this year that don't use that in there "lyrics"

Oh hey, I'm just  over here synergizing the paradigm

hehehe. Synergy reminds me of late 90's early 2000's (?) - you have to interlock your fingers from both hands when you say it though

[jkim]

I'm hoping "REAL" falls out of favor soon, as in "Keeping it real" or "xxxx is for real"

I don't think this is a fad...it is entwined in our everyday language now. REAL has been used since I learned English.

I think he means it when people say "foreal" (which I do pretty often jokingly).

"Fail" still seems to be pretty popular. Not as prominent is "my life is average."

And then you have "that's what she said," the more modern equivalent of "your mom." I'm hearing less and less of that already though.

[charlie]

And then you have "that's what she said," the more modern equivalent of "your mom." I'm hearing less and less of that already though.

Spot on. I'm ready for "that's what she said" to be done.

[Govtcheez]

Oh god yes.  That one is awful.  I know several people at work who say it all the time.

[Bassy]

When Sacha Baron Cohen was doing his Ali G stuff here in the 90s - "Respect" seemed to be in word that you heard everywhere

[webwhy]

Damn it's hard to work social media into a useless statement. Or, is it?

Seriously...do a keyword search on twitter for "social media"...or Acxiom (one of my clients)....gah!