By AJC Staff

October 9, 2006 7:51 PM | Link to this

Have we worn out the word icon? Who do you think we should reserve the term for and who should be left out in the cold?

By AJC Staff

October 9, 2006 7:54 PM | Link to this

Have we worn out the word icon?

If we reserved the term, as we once did, for the superlatives, who would that be? Who would you leave out?

By scott madigan

October 10, 2006 9:39 AM | Link to this

Icon is definitely way overused, but no more so than “legacy” and “scandal”.

By Monica

October 10, 2006 9:46 AM | Link to this

The most over-used word is “AWESOME”. Do people even know what it means? There are very few things that are truly “awesome”. If a person were actually “in awe” everytime they used the word then that individual has more problems than they think.

And, YES, we have worn out “icon”. Again, I think the real meaning of the word is not commonly known.

The more these words are used, the less impact and meaning they carry.

By Mike

October 10, 2006 9:48 AM | Link to this

How about: Paris Hilton - “Hero”

By Mike

October 10, 2006 9:58 AM | Link to this

How about, Paris Hilton - “Hero”

By Bruce

October 10, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this

I think to be an icon you have to be remembered past two generations. I am 25 and i know who Lucile Ball, Dylan, Monroe, and a few others. Paris hilton isn’t even a hero. now the Hilton Hotels could be one. Paris is just their over exposed daughter. Think about it she doesn’t even have a talent. She can’t sing, she can’t act. Icon is an overused term

By Morrigan

October 10, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this

Overused ad nauseam: “(I’m) uncomfortable”, “inappropriate”, and “it’s about…”. Let’s try “I don’t like that”, “sexual”, and “it’s”. Drop the candy-assed terms and use your vocabulary to say what you mean.

By conyers

October 10, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

ah, the word police will be out in force. i have to agree with monica, “awesome” is overused and undervalued as a description. very few things are “awesome,” though i tend to think my granddaughter qualifies.

By conyers

October 10, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

and yes, the word “icon” is overused and mis-applied. iconic figures tend to be subjective. some would consider JFK an icon but others would not. another word that is consistently mis-applied is “disaster.” for example, the ajc used the word ‘disaster’ when discribing the uga/tenn. football game the other day. i think they were “diagnosing a disaster” in the sports pages. hurricane katrina was a disaster, the tsunami in southeast asia was also a disaster. but a football game? no way.

By sdc

October 10, 2006 11:51 AM | Link to this

What about the word BEAUTIFUL??

By Ron

October 10, 2006 11:56 AM | Link to this

The most over used word is “like”. Like when I was in school,like man that is cool,like man I’m so hot, like lets go there.

Gimme a break.

By Philip

October 10, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this

Supermodel. Diva. Hero. “…of his/her generation”.

Anything Madonna might be called immediately deems is having been sullied and over-used (unless the word is talentless).

By DBH 1

October 10, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this

I’m not sure if we’ve worn out “icon”, but “diva” has to be one of the most over used and mis-applied words of the 21st century.

By BobK

October 10, 2006 6:20 PM | Link to this

‘Icon’ and ‘diva’ are definitely on the worn-out list, but they are preceded in banality by ‘tragedy’ and ‘miracle’. Once, tragedy refered to the predicament of a hero crushed by the relentless working of fate, often a self-inflicted fate chosen in ignorance; now, anything even vaguely sad is “a tragedy”. A miracle is an occurance that actually violates what we understand to be the laws of nature; now, anything vaguely good that is vaguely surprising is trumpted as “a miracle”.

By Siber

March 7, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this

Oh nice! Very pretty page!

By Siber

March 7, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this

Oh nice! Very pretty page!

By Siber

March 7, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this

Oh nice! Very pretty page!

By Siber

March 7, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

Oh nice! Very pretty page!

By Siber

March 9, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this

Oh nice! Very pretty page!