I hate introductory paragraphs, so let’s get right to the list.
Legendary. This moniker applies to every famous defunct band, dead entertainer or artist. I think people mean “iconic” when they say “legendary.” In any case, Let’s make a rule: From now on, someone has to be remembered 700 years after their death for them to be considered “Legendary.”
Queen of/King of/Prince of/Duchess of…. Any time an old musician dies, it turns out that they were royalty of some kind. That, or they were the Father of/Mother of/Grandfather of…. whatever it was they did. How about letting a great, pioneering musician be just that, instead of straining ourselves to come up with an available title for them.
Hero.This one erupted into the post 9/11 media scene like an over-turned taffy truck; no one wants that much taffy. Now everyone in an American uniform is automatically a “hero.” Let’s be clear: The only heroes are firefighters because they save people without killing people.
Literally This horribly mis-used word never dies… literally.
Leverage. As they say in comics, “Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh!” Every time I hear an expert on the radio/TV/Podcast/Whatever-it-is-people-listen-to-now, they’re always talking about “leveraging” everything to achieve some goal. “We need to leverage the park benches to encourage sitting….” Before my brain explodes, please only use the word “leverage” if you are talking about Archimedes or working to free a man from a large rock using only a stick.
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This is my 2007 thesis for Lesley University's Masters of Education in Curriculum Design, focusing in Conflict Resolution and Peaceable Schools:
Daisybrain 