In the July 22nd issue of The Washington Post, the word icon popped up four times--in reference to Spider-Man, Sly and the Family Stone, the Barbie doll, and Tammy Wynette. On that same day in England's Guardian newspaper, a politician and a kitchen appliance--Enoch Powell and the Kenwood Mini Mixer--were also certified as icons.
Other icons recognized last Friday included the Dublin Horse Show, novelist John McGahern, the iPhone, and reggae performer Dennis Bovell (all by way of The Irish Times); rugby player Richie Gray, bluesman B.B. King, and actor Gérard Depardieu (in The Scotsman); novelist Margaret Atwood, fashion designer Iris Apfel, Wrigley Field, Captain America, baseball executive Branch Rickey, and the recently opened Vaughan City Hall (all from Canada's iconic newspaper, the Toronto Star).
With this proliferation of icons throughout the English-speaking world, it's time to call in a bona-fide iconoclast--author Joe Queenan:
Icons are increasingly hard to avoid. Last month I attended a funeral at which a mourner referred to the deceased as a local icon. While visiting Dublin in June, I found myself dining with a Scottish author of terrifying murder mysteries who described herself as "an international cultural icon." I also read in the press that McDonald's was an iconic franchise. Then I got an email announcing that Creative Artists Agency had just added Greg Norman to its roster of clients. That is, Greg Norman, "international golf icon."
The term "icon" has two basic meanings, neither of which apply to Michael Jackson, Greg Norman, Ed McMahon, most Scottish mystery writers or anyone from Paul Revere & the Raiders. Originally it referred to sacred images painted on tiny wooden panels back in the days of the Eastern Empire. Thus, in theory, Farrah Fawcett's famous '70s poster could vaguely qualify as an icon. But for the longest time the word "icon" was used to refer to what Webster's describes as "an object of uncritical devotion." No more. Today it is used to describe anyone reasonably famous who is completely over the hill, on a respirator, or stone dead. . . .
This is just another case of hyperventilating journalists hijacking an otherwise admirable language because they are desperate to insert an infectious banality into their work and don't care if it belongs there. There is no such thing as "the mother of all stimulus packages." One cannot go in search of the Holy Grail of killer apps for the iPhone. The English language doesn't work that way. It's flexible, but it's not stupid.
(Joe Queenan, "Icons Aren't What They Used to Be." The Wall Street Journal, July 20, 2009)
Iconic happens to be one of the words in our list of 200 Words and Phrases That Ticked You Off in 2010--that is, just one of the many overworked buzzwords and vogue words that our readers wrote in to complain about last year.
Update (January 2012):
To add an expression that ticks you off, visit 100 Words and Phrases That Ticked You Off in 2011, and click on the "comments" link at the bottom of the post.
More About Words That Tick You Off:
Comments
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.
My letter to the world: please stop saying “absolutely”–unless you absolutely mean it.
Thanks. I feel better now.
Wow Sarah,
Are you angry with “Absolutely”?
Extreme. Extreme chefs. Extreme weather. Extreme sports. Extreme fear, extreme, extreme, extreme. The talking heads are binging on this adjective. I’m sick of extreme and the culture of fear it feeds.
“just saying ” (after stating an opinion)
I hate it when people add the word “of” to the word “off” – as in “it fell off of the shelf”, well, duh, it fell off the shelf!
You know?
Or would it be: “You know.”?
Either way, you know, the constant refrain, you know, just drowns me in the burden of knowledge that I don’t necessarily, have, acknowledge, or want, you know.
“At the end of the day….”
And thanks to eLSIE for adding “just sayin’.”
I am continuously irritatated by the word “everybody” as in wants to know. i for one do not wish to know who won the world cup in baseball. Which
means that everybody is a blatant lie.
“Kick the can down the road”
Can’t listen to/watch political news these days without someone saying this.
Hundreds of references here.
(Sarah says…. ) absolutely… first comment.
I ‘infinitely’ agree….
like that’s my comment -FOR- free !
guess that’s all.
People who keep saying “anxious” when the context calls for “eager.” Anxious people are not happy or looking forward to something. Think “anxiety.”
Nothing irks me more than the use of “penned,” “At the end of the day,” “whatever” or “staunch” as in staunch Republican/Democrat.
Adding to Sarah and many others on this thread, I have an issue with the overuse of adjectives like “very,” “really,” etc. Perhaps if we’re truly trying to be colorful in our language or are engaged in a creative-writing exercise, it’s fine, but I’m just seeing an assault of unnecessary modifiers day in and day out. It’s getting really annoying!
I can’t stand hearing “one of the only” when what is meant is “one of the few.” Either something is the only one of its kind (oh, let’s not get started on its and it’s) or it isn’t.
Darn. I wish it didn’t have to be ‘verbal’. EVERYDAY being used each and every day as though it were always an adjective, when it’s not!
First time used it was impressive; every subsequent use in our local newspaper makes me cringe: he was “Cooking Up A Storm”. Another initially innovative but now oldhat phrase- the football or other sporting team which works the ball “up through the engine room”.
I can’t stand ‘utilize’ … nobody uses anything anymore, they utilize them. Harumph!
“It is what it is”. Last week in a news broadcast this was used by two people interviewed about different situations.
Many of the comments so far are about overused words, my favorite of which is “utilized.” Thanks, blu-k. In the misused category, my #1 most reprehensible example is “regards” instead of “regard,” as in “with regards to grammar, overuse is an abomination.”
Split infinitives really irk me; especially when adverbs are placed before verbs. “To boldly go…,” and the like, set my teeth on edge.
This is little off-track, but still a language pet peeve: The sudden inability of lots of folks to tell the difference between a plural and a possessive. Why the epidemic of using ’s to form a plural noun?
I would like to thank each and everyone of you…
Is this not the most disgusting redundancy ever spoken?
How many times do we hear people use this statement?
Where did it start? When will it stop? It means the same thing so either say each of you or everyone. Stop using both in the same phrase. Now I feel better!
UGH! Hearing each and everyday…. is also like fingernails on the chalkboard! Stop saying it that way. It makes people sound ignorant not intelligent!
Writing the word “lose” as “loose.”
Using the word “top” to blur the distinction between “popular” and “of high quality.” Example: “10 top vacation destinations for 2011.”
The word “townhome.”
Using the word “mom” to replace “mother” in all contexts. “I just found out I’m going to be a mom.”
Using the word “purchase” instead of the simpler and perfectly appropriate “buy.” (”Since I’m going to be a mom, I plan to purchase a townhome.”)
The current health care industry trend of referring to patients as “customers.”
“So fun” As in, “It was so fun!” Enough with the adverb-modifying-a-noun effort! Slip in “much” if you want to sound as if you’ve graduated 5th grade.
“Off of” It’s either on, or it’s off.
“luminary” anyone who is making big bucks no matter how evil they are as humans
“transitioning” If you cannot manage “make the transition,” then what hope do you have of making one?
I do not want to hear “across the aisle” from a politician or anyone ever again!
It also makes me cringe when you ask someone a question and they start their answer with “Look”. Especially popular on TV news programs! Obnoxious!
My pet peeve is hearing the word ‘for’ tagged on the end of questions such as “How long have you been working there for”? I hear it all the time on Millionaire Hot Seat and think top reporters and presenters should know better!
“brain fart”
eXpecially for especially!!!
The outfielder waits ON the fly ball. I’m waiting ON a phone call.
(I suppose a bartender waits FOR a customer.) I’m waiting FOR an exterminator to rid the language of “wait on.”
“Ginormous” for gigantic or enormous
When a person goes about something ‘with military precision’, I feel like karate-kicking them with reckless abandon.
My all-time most HATED expression, used mostly by people to preface a statement:
“Not for nothing”
(WHAAAAT?????)
THE most irritating expression EVER, used to preface a statement:
“Not for nothing” What exactly does that mean? “Not for nothing, but blah blah blah” WHAAAAT???? Infuriating.
Strategise, concretise and monetise. (Corporate jargon)
“Spot on”. Is there any expression of approval more pompous and affected?
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the UK (Eric Pickles) recently gave an interview to BBC Breakfast on the important topic of how often rubbish (trash) is collected from outside people’s homes. Throughout the interview he managed to substitute ‘refuse’ with ‘refuge’. How this man made it to a senior government position is a mystery.
I “could care less” if I had more time.
fast food order “let me git a” makes my skin crawl
“lead” as the past tense of “to lead”, instead of “led”;
“mislead” as the past tense of “to mislead,” instead of “misled.”
“intensive purposes” instead of “intents and purposes”
“it’s,” meaning “it is,” instead of “its,” possessive
apostrophe abuse: adding an apostrophe-s (’s) instead of adding an “s” or an “es” to make something plural; confusing possessives with plurals